


Black Orchids and Ivory Bones

by IsilmeLinde



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Above Ground Monsters That Weren't Sealed Away, Animal Instincts, Blood and Injury, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Monsters are More Animalistic, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Relationship and Bond Building, Reverse Harem, Soulmates, Undertale Monsters on the Surface, some violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:08:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 100,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25617859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IsilmeLinde/pseuds/IsilmeLinde
Summary: Not all monsters were sealed Underground all those years ago. A select few species of monster were able to avoid being sealed away by blending into human populations. Much like those Underground, they faded away into myth and legend. Until the barrier was broken and monster emerged into the sun once more. With this emergence, those who escaped stepped forward into the public eye to be reunited with their brethren and lost loved ones. Turns out the vampires and weres of legend were more than stories.It has been 2 years since monsters came forth to the world above ground. And despite befriending a certain flame elemental, Luna chooses to keep to herself. She has spent most of her life hiding what she was, fighting to survive is almost second nature. And even though she now owns the bakery of her dreams, and monsters are now considered citizens, old habits die hard. Until a pair of skeleton brothers move in next door and change her life forever and finally ease the ache in their souls.Follow their story as they figure out what it means to be soulmates, and if souls can be connected through the barrier they can be connected across dimensions as well, right?(Sorry not that good at summaries XD)
Relationships: Papyrus (SwapFell)/Original Female Character(s), Papyrus (Underfell)/Original Female Character(s), Papyrus (Underswap)/Original Female Character(s), Papyrus (Undertale)/Original Female Character(s), Sans (SwapFell)/Original Female Character(s), Sans (Underfell)/Original Female Character(s), Sans (Underswap)/Original Female Character(s), Sans (Undertale)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 107
Kudos: 332





	1. Sleep is for the Weak!

**Author's Note:**

> This the first story I will be putting forth for everyone to read. I have written for years but never really shared with anyone outside of close friends. I really hope you enjoy this, it has been itching at me for a while and I finally decided to actually write it down. By the way, vampires here are different than how they are normally portrayed, kind of my own breed of vampire :)  
> ~~~ =time skip  
> Enjoy!

The sweet smell of buttercream tickled my nose as I carefully worked, piping bag resting on my shoulder, quickly bringing a violet rose into existence. With practiced movements I twisted the flower nail with my left hand as my right hand supported and squeezed the icing onto the parchment paper attached to the nail. Adjusting myself on the stool and letting the piping bag drop to my chest, I removed the parchment and set the rose on the work bench in front of me. Dozens of roses lined the baking sheets scattered across the work surface, all varying hues of blues and purples. Another piece of parchment took the place of the last and I set to work again. 

Music filtered out of the speaker across the room, though I barely heard a lyric as I absentmindedly tapped my foot against the rung of my stool. The beat was all that mattered, it was fast paced and loud, keeping my timing consistent as more roses bloomed into my hands. I was on a time crunch, all the flowers needed to pipped and chilled tomorrow so they could be transferred onto a 4-tiered monstrosity of a cake. There was a pause as the track faded out and I placed another rose onto a new tray to my right. The muscles in my right arm had started spasming about 20 minutes ago, but I was so close to being finished I could not bring myself to put the piping bag down and take a break. I only had 30 more roses left in this color and then the flowers for this cake would complete. 

A shiver ran down my spine. The room was cold to keep the icing from melting, which meant my hands were freezing and I couldn’t feel the tip of my nose. It was a stark difference from the warm humid night outside. 20 more roses and I could move everything into the freezer for the night and finally go home. I refused to look at the clock hanging over the door to my work room. It was late, that much was obvious, but I refused to torture myself with the knowledge of just how much sleep I wasn’t going to get tonight. 

“Sleep was never an option.” I chuckled as I moved another rose from the flower nail to the baking sheet. Pausing to move an empty sheet in front of me, I rolled my head on my shoulders, careful of the bag resting on my right. I knew I already had some icing in my hair, it was a losing battle I fought daily. 15 more roses. 

My stomach growled in protest, barely being heard over the music. I don’t remember if I had eating lunch let alone dinner. June signaled the start of bridal season, and the start of the steady decline of my sanity. Every cake seemed to be more detailed than the last, the deadline shorter than anticipated, and each bride’s demand increasingly outrageous. At one point I considered taking wedding cakes off the menu completely. Especially those damned cupcake ones, I stilled had nightmares of them tumbling off their stands and congealing into a mass of sticky icing and crumbled cake. Sadly, it was not an option, wedding related orders made up almost 50% of the bakery’s sales this time of year. I couldn’t afford to not make them. 

“Embrace the suck.” I mumbled facetiously as the hand gripping the piping bag trembled, causing the rose to crinkle on the paper. It was quickly discarded into the trash can at my side and I took a deep breath as I started on a new one. “You got this, just five more.” 

Once I placed the last rose on the baking sheet, I allowed the bag to drop to my chest again and placed the flower nail on the countertop. I scrubbed my hands over my face, groaning at the pain stabbing through my eyelids. The heels of my hands ground into my eyes and I briefly saw fireworks as I tried to force the grit and exhaustion out of them for a little while longer. My legs protested as I stood, pushing the stool away and allowed myself to sway momentarily as they readjusted to supporting my body. I needed a new stool, preferably one with a back to it. But that was a problem for another day.

The piping bad was tossed onto the stool as I grabbed a couple of trays and began the trek back and forth to giant refrigerator in the next room. When the last tray was settled in the holding racks, I closed the door and double checked the temperature gauge before trudging back to my decorating room. The mess that awaited me almost made me want to turn around and lock myself in the refrigerator. Blue and purple icing was smeared all over my work bench, empty piping bags and ruined roses filled the two trashcans I kept under the lip of the work bench. Multiple large bowls that once held buttercream icing sat dried and crusted on the counter at the back of the room, waiting to be moved into the kitchen and washed. Heavens only knew what I looked like now, though I probably mirrored my room. 

With music pouring out of my speakers, I grimaced and set to work to cleaning my workspace. Every available surface was scrubbed until it shined, the bowls soaked in hot water and scrubbed, and the trash taken to the dumpster out back. I almost collapsed to the floor when I finally gave in and looked at the clock. It was four in the morning and the bakery would be opening in two hours. I had worked all night without realizing it. Again. 

Throwing the towel down onto the counter, I walked over to my phone to turn off my music and absently checked it for any notifications. Not that I expected any, it was just a force of habit. I had enough time to step into the bathroom to try to make myself somewhat presentable and then start heating the ovens for the day. So much for sleep. 

I thanked the heavens that it was Saturday and the bakery would be closed tomorrow, meaning I could go home after work and fall into a coma until Monday. I stumbled into the employee bathroom and braced myself on the edge of the sink. My reflection stared wearily back at me. 

“Don’t give me that look.” I growled to myself as I turned on the faucet. My apron made it to the clothes basket in the corner of the room and I pulled my hair out of the high ponytail I had put it in the morning before when I opened for the day. Globs and smears of blue and purple icing were smeared into the ends of my hair as I had suspected, matching the smears on my cheeks and shirt sleeves. I should have pulled it into a bun before I had sat down to work on the roses, but the thought didn’t cross my line until it was too late. My hair fell to the middle of my back when I had it up but easily brushed past my hips when I wore it loose and almost always got in the way when I worked.

I picked up an iridescent white lock and inspected a rather large clump of icing that clung stubbornly to the end. The temptation to cut it all off struck me before I quickly brushed it off. It had taken years to grow it out this long and a lot of work to keep it healthy and strong. I just needed a way to keep it out of my way at work that didn’t end up giving me horrible headaches by the end of the day.

I ran my hand under the water to check if it was hot yet and quickly withdrew it with a hiss. Most definitely hot. After adjusting the temperature until it no longer scalded me, I leaned over the sink with my hair pulled over my shoulder and began the long process of making sure all the icing was washed out. Next came my face and arms, there was no saving my shirt I would have to grab a spare from my office. 

Once I was clean, I quickly dried my face off with a towel I kept in the bathroom just for this purpose and set off to my office. I was gently patting the ends of my hair dry when I reached it at the back of the bakery. It wasn’t really an office, more of a glorified closet with just enough space to fit a desk and chair, but it served its purpose. I kicked the door shut behind me and immediately began to search for the small duffel bag I kept under my desk for a change of clothes. Glancing down at my pants I determined that they were clean enough to look presentable and swiftly pulled my thin long sleeved shirt over my head, replacing it with a t-shirt that said “I bake because punching people is frowned upon” in elegant scrawling letters. It had been a gift from my friend last Christmas and one of my favorites.

I stepped back out of my office and grabbed a spare apron that was hanging on the wall leading to the main kitchen. Pulling a spare hair tie out of my pocket I wrestled my still damp hair back into a ponytail, only this time it rested at the base of my skull, taking care not to catch one of the many piercings that adorned my ears. Time to start prepping the kitchen for the day. The ovens clicked on easily as I walked down the line to make sure they were all preheated correctly for the first batch of the day. A glance at my phone told me that my employees would be arriving in about 30 minutes to start their own prep work. I unlocked the employee entrance and then moved to check the roses I had placed in the refrigerator. 

They had stiffened up enough to be placed on the cake once my assistant decorator showed up to help me finish the order which would be picked up at ten. After calculating the time, it would take to place every rose and pipe the leaves and ivory designs I decided that, while it would be cutting it close, the cake would be finished before the customer arrived. It would have to be. 

I stepped into the café at the front bakery and sighed softly as I looked around the unlit room. It wasn’t quite late enough for sunlight to be streaming through the front glass and everything was cast in a feint white glow from the streetlamp outside making the room look washed out in grayscale. The Black Orchid Bakery. This was my pride and joy, my very own bakery that I put blood sweat and tears in for the last 2 years. I had worked so hard to get to this point. 

Taking a moment to take it all in, I leaned against the door frame that separated the workspace from the rest of the bakery. It was everything I had hoped for and despite the lack of sleep and stress that came with running a business. I was happy here, finally happy here. Well more content than happy if I was being honest with myself.

I winced slightly as I pushed off the frame and walked further into the room. My soul ached; an even hum of pain plucked at it. I had gotten to where I could ignore the constant tightness in my chest, it had become a part my daily life. Even the flourishing of my bakery didn’t ease it. Reaching up to my sternum I lightly rubbed the area where it rested before I reached up to flip on the main lights.

Color flooded the room. I had spent months agonizing over a color scheme that would be befitting of the name and finally settled on a rich plum with ivory and black accents throughout the room. Black orchids and various other black and purple silk flowers clustered in the corners of the room and lined the top of the glass display case and cash register. The floor was a pearl white linoleum with flecks of dark metallic ruby reflecting off the lights overhead. The large paned windows had black orchids painted in the corners and Black Orchid Bakery was scrawled in elegant Gothic lettering in the center of each window. Beneath each window sat a large curved booths and various sets of tables and chairs scattered strategically around the room. Everything was exactly where I wanted it in my little Gothic bakery. 

I walked to the front counter where the display case and register sat and bent over to switch on the sound system to allow soft symphonic music to begin filtering from the speakers placed in each corner of the room. The ambiance made me hum happily as I slowly walked around the room, adjusting chairs and straightening center pieces as I went. When I was happy with how the room looked, I wondered back into the kitchen to start prepping dough and batter for the day.

By the time my first worker walked through the back door I had a batch of eclairs in the oven and was started on the fillings and glaze for the various pastries the bakery offered. Janet was a small mousy woman who helped mainly in the kitchens. I smiled tiredly at her in greeting as she put away her belongings and slipped the black apron over her head, the logo printed on the chest in a vivid plum color. She waved at me and bid me good morning as she moved across the kitchen to start her prep work for the day. 

Shortly after Janet settled into work alongside me, Angie burst into the back door. Out of breath and disheveled she panted as she leaned against the wall next to the door. She was a new hire that I was currently training, I glanced at the clock on the wall, and she was close to being late on her second day to work. I decided to let it slide this once, shit happens, I knew that all too well. She gave me a breathless greeting as she went to put away her things and retrieve her apron. When she had calmed down and looked ready to start, I waved Janet over and gave her brief instructions to have Angie shadow her. I had a wedding cake to finish and my assistant decorator should be arriving soon. 

I left Janet with orders to pass Angie on to Levi when he showed up so she could get a feel of working register and taking orders. With that settled, I started to move the baking sheets back into my decorating room. I had just grabbed the last two sheets when my assistant decorator, Tony, walked through the employee entrance. 

“Good morning Boss Lady.” Tony crowed, almost bursting with energy as he removed his messenger bag and replaced it with an apron. 

“Mornin’ Tony.” I gave him a bleary-eyed smile, vaguely hoping I could maybe siphon off some of his boundless energy as we worked. I don’t think I have ever seen him tired. He seemed to just vibrate with constant energy. Apparently today he was in a rather good mood.

“Ready to finish the rose cake?” He took the sheets out of my hands and held the refrigerator door open with his foot as I turned to grab the 4-teired cake that went with the roses I had worked all night on.

“Ready to get it over with.” I grunted as I hefted the large cake past him toward the decorating room where we would be finishing it. “Could you get started placing the roses while I mix up the green and ivory icings for the details? The reference picture is tacked on the wall”

“No problem Boss Lady!” Tony grabbed a stool from the other side of the room as I set the cake down on the turn table and immediately began arranging the sheets on the work bench so he could easily grab the first color. 

I quickly returned to the kitchen and began to mix up a batch of buttercream for the leaves, carefully measuring out the dye to get the right hue before I moved on to the royal icing I would be using to pipe the finer details on the cake. When I returned to the decorating room Tony had almost already finished the first tier of the cake.

“Damn, mind sharing the secret to all that energy?” I sat down the bowls of icing and shook my head, carefully looking over his work. Tony paused, letting me inspect his placement of the roses. When I deemed everything was it should be, I stepped back to start filling piping bags so I could take over when he finished. 

“The secret is sleep, coffee, and the number 85.” His voice dropped to a low whisper as if he were sharing the code to a club house. I snorted as I shook out a piping bag to settle the icing at the tip. “You pulled an all-nighter didn’t you.” 

“I can neither confirm nor deny that.” I carefully laid the bag next to the bowl of icing as I moved to reconnect my phone to the speaker on the counter. “But I am probably going to head out after this cake is picked up. Can you lock up today?”

“Sure thing!” Tony paused to flash a large grin my way as I scrolled through my music. His eyes lit up when he saw this. “Oh! Could you play that one playlist with all that techno stuff in it?”

I laughed at the almost puppy-eyed look he gave me and selected the playlist. 

~~~

It was almost two and a half hours later when I finally stepped away from the wedding cake to give it one last look over. It was a 4-tierd cake with buttercream roses flowing down half of the cake. The colors had been arranged so that it created an ombre affect, starting with a vivid royal blue and ending with a rich violet. The other half of the cake was covered delicate ivory lace work on top of stark white. Peals clung to the tops of the tiers and hung in tear drops on the side. A soft silver dust had been carefully brushed onto the lace work and to the tips of the rose petals. It was finally finished. 

“Wow.” I turned to Tony as he stepped back into the decorating room. He had left a bit ago to clean the icing bowls and to help fill the front display case while I finished. He paused in the doorway and stared at the cake. “Now that is gorgeous.” 

“You think?” I rotated the cake one last time and then nodded, happy with how it looked finally. “I’m just glad it is finally done.”

Tony laughed as he moved to help delicately lift and place the cake on the solid cake board. Together we managed to get it centered on the board without smudging the icing on the sides or causing it to lean. It did look pretty good, I inspected it one more time for any flaws and fully stepped away from the work bench. 

“When are they coming to pick up the order?”

“They should be here at ten.” I grabbed a wet rag off the work bench and began to wipe the excess icing off my hands. Since it had all been detail work and Tony had done the flower placement, I had managed to not make a huge mess all over myself. I was quite proud of that and grinned at the cake in front of me. Now all I had to do was wait for the order to be picked up and I could finally go home for the first time in over 24 hours. Grabbing my phone, I disconnect the music and followed Tony into the kitchen where Janet was carefully removing a batch of muffins out of the oven. “Hey, is that batter I was working on still in fridge?”

“I think so, it is near the front if it is.” Janet placed the muffin pans onto the counter to cool.  
“Eclairs are really popular today; can you please grab the filling out of there while you look?”

“Sure.” I quickly slipped into the refrigerator grabbing both the batter bowl and the container of eclair filling, setting both on the counter when I returned. 

I had just finished filling the muffin tins when a scream from the café made me drop the scoop into the metal bowl. 

“Put those into the oven.” I said absently to whoever was behind me as I rushed to the door that connect to the other half of my bakery. 

The door swung open and I strode through.

“What the hell is going on in-?!” When I stepped into the café the smell of caramel and whiskey enveloped my senses along with a warm, inviting heat that seemed to blanket the whole room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No skellys yet! Sorry, but they will appear soon enough XD


	2. And I Am Weak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to post the first two chapters together, I hope you enjoy!

Standing in the middle of the café was fire. Literal fire. Well more of a fire elemental, a monster if you will. He strode confidently to the front counter where my new hire stood frozen in shock, her mouth hanging limply open. A huge grin split my face as I continued to move out of the kitchen, inhaling the sweet smell of caramel and whiskey, basking in the heat that seemed to roll off the monster who had stopped a pace away from the display case, studying it intently. It was a welcome contrast to the cold of the decorating room.

“Well if it isn’t my best customer.” My grin stretches wider as his head jerked up to meet my eyes. I came to a stop next to Angie and leaned against the counter beside her. I turned slightly to address her. “If you are going to scream every time a customer walks through the door, I am going to have to make you work in the kitchen. Go take a break and help Janet with the muffins I left on the counter.”

Angie quickly fled the café and I turned to face the monster once more. I leaned on the counter, my forearms resting across it as I smiled sweetly. The monster stepped forward and nodded in greeting. He wore a black shirt that said “I call the shots” with shot glasses lining the underside of the words and a pair of dark blue jeans with dark brown boat shoes. 

“Good morning Grillby. You are early today.” I said softly as I straightened back up to reach behind me to the counter that had the brown paper bags we kept for to go orders. “Your usual? Two breakfast sandwiches, an éclair and a plain black coffee?”

I stopped when Grillby shook his head no and held up 3 fingers. My held tilted in confusion.

“Three orders?” He nodded. I frowned at the deviation from his usual routine and stepped back to the counter.

“Triple my usual and leave plenty of room in two of the coffees for cream and sugar.” His voice was a whispering crackle as his mouth split open slightly to allow the sound to escape. I had to lean forward into his space to hear him over the din of the other customers in the café and the ding of the register as Levi checked out a customer at the end of the bar. The smell of caramel and whiskey was incredibly strong and the heat radiating off him seemed to warm my very bones. I turned my head to Levi as he stepped over and relayed the order to him, handing off the paper bag in my hand.

I remained in Grillby’s bubble as he stood relaxed on the other side of the counter, soaking up the heat. 

“So, what’s the occasion?” I asked nosily, smirking when a hissing chuckle rolled out of his mouth. He was my favorite customer and my only friend I was allowed to be a little nosy. “The bar not open today?”

I had met Grillby a little over a year ago when he opened his bar and grill across the street from my little bakery. Both businesses sat in the middle of the street that connected the monster part of town to the human. Monsters had emerged from the underground almost two years ago after their barrier had been broken by a human child that had fallen through. Grillby had opened his bar, a close replica to the one he had in the underground, or so I had been told, as soon as monsters had been granted citizenship and rights to acquire permits to open businesses on the surface. He seemed to share my sentiment on setting up where the flow of traffic from the two races was the most intermixed. 

“Yes, it is closed for today.” Grillby rarely spoke, and when he did it was very quiet and punctuated with the hiss and crackle of the flames of his body. After over year of friendship, I could easily distinguish the words from the other sounds that came from his mouth when he talked. He mostly communicated through looks, head nods, and hand gestures. I enjoyed hearing his voice and he knew that, and often would sit and quietly talk to me when we visited each other’s businesses. “I am helping some friends of mine move today and thought I would bring breakfast.”

“Ah so that’s why you look so casual today. I almost miss your bow tie.” I chuckled and sat up so Levi could place his order on the counter in front of Grillby and move back down the counter. The coffees had been put into a drink carrier and large handful of creamer and sugar packets filled the one empty cup holder. It wasn’t very often I saw Grillby be wear anything casual. Usually he wore his pressed white dress shirt and black vest with black pants, coupled with shiny dress shoes. Both styles looked good on him. “Nice shirt by the way. Who got it for you?”

Grillby’s laugh crackled as he glanced down at the clothes he wore, tugging the hem of his shirt lightly. 

“A plucky little baker showed up at my bar last Christmas and dropped it in my lap, told me I had to wear it at least once or she wouldn’t talk to me again.” His eyes crinkles as his mouth spread into a wide grin, laughter hissing and popping from it as I lean forward once more to hear him better. “What about your shirt? It is pretty cool.”

“Oh, this cool bartender guy, real sweet, you wouldn’t know him.” I giggled as I watched Grillby’s shoulders shake with laughter as he tried to stay composed, staring into my eyes through his glasses. “He gave it to me last Christmas, told me it was perfect for me. Said it matched my eyes.”

I batted my amethyst eyes up at the flame elemental standing in front of me. We both stared at each other for a beat before devolving into laughter. I doubled over, clutching my sides as I giggled. I could see Grillby clutching the counter as his tall frame shook with laughter, sparks and embers sputtering out of his mouth. Oh, I needed this today. 

When I finally calmed down, I straightened up and smiled at Grillby, ignoring the looks from the other customers. A thought stuck me.

“Oh! Wait here, I have something I want you to try.” I turned and quickly strode into the kitchen. “Hey Janet, are those muffins I was working on done?”

“They have been cooling for a few minutes.” Janet nodded to the muffin pan on the center counter as she pipped filling into an éclair. 

“Awesome!” I quickly grabbed a to go box and snatched four muffins out of the pan to drop into the box. “Ouch! Ouch! Those are hot!”

Janet rolled my eyes at my yelps as I flailed my hand to relieve the stinging burn in my fingers. I shut the box and trotted back out to where Grillby was paying for his order, nodding softly as Levi chattered happily to him. I stepped around the counter and handed him the box of muffins. 

“Here, this is a new recipe I am trying. Give them a try, share them with your friends and tell me what you think.” I beamed at him as he slipped the box underneath the drink carrier before he picked both up, balancing carefully in one hand, the bag of food in the other. Grillby tilted his head at the box questioningly and I chuckled. “They are monster candy muffins. Hopefully, I figured out the ratios this time.”

Grillby nodded, smiling back at me, and stepping away from the counter and lifting his arms up and away from his body as an open invitation. Quickly I darted forward and hugged his middle tightly, sighing happily when he wrapped the arm holding the food around my back. He was pretty tall, and I only came up to his chin. We stood there for a few beats as I soaked up the warmth and inhaled his friendly scent, leaving mine on him in return as I lightly brushed my cheek on his chest. I could feel Grillby brush his cheek across mine briefly.

“I will give you a full report on Monday.” He crackled softly next to my ear before he let go and we stepped away from each other. “Have a nice weekend my dear friend, and please get some rest.”

“You too. Good luck with the moving and all that.” I waved as the fire monster turned and made his way out of my bakery, turning to walk down the street. With my friend gone, I checked on Levi to make sure he was holding up well in the café before I stepped back into the kitchen to send Angie back out to work. I took over frosting the cupcakes she had been working on, working quickly and carefully. Janet rotated baked goods out of the ovens as Tony worked on more batter on the other side of the kitchen. 

The morning continued like that, broken occasionally when Levi called into the kitchen for specific orders or for a restock of the display case. Around ten the wedding cake was picked up and I helped Tony carefully carry the cake to the car parked on the street in front of the bakery. I took the last of the payment for the cake back to my office where the order form sat on my desk. I put both the money and order into the safe in the wall behind my desk to file into finances when I got the chance. Moving around the limited space, I cleaned up some, making sure papers were organized for the next week.

“Alright Boss Lady, time for you to go home.” Tony leaned against the door frame of my office whipping his hands with a towel. “If you stay here any longer you are going to keel over from exhaustion, and I am not carrying you home.” 

“Okay, okay. I am going, give me a second.” Suddenly the exhaustion from being awake for over 24 hours settled into my bones. The small energy boost I got from visiting with Grilby fizzled out completely and my office chair now looked extremely comfortable. Taking a deep breath, I grabbed my duffle bag and purse from underneath my desk. “Are you sure you don’t mind closing up tonight?”

“No not at all!” Tony grinned as he moved out of my so I could step out of the office. I turned to close and lock the door. “I will hold down the fort, make sure no one burns the place down.”

“If the place gets burned down Tony, I will personally hold you responsible.” There wasn’t too much bite behind my threat, but I knew he took it seriously when he nodded and saluted me. I rolled my eyes. 

“Yes Ma’am!” Tony half yelled and I snorted, and I moved to walk to the employee entrance. “Have a nice weekend!”

I waved tiredly over my shoulder before I stepped out into the alley. I was running on empty as I paused to check my phone before I stepped out onto the main sidewalk. It was almost eleven. Usually on days like this I would cross the street to have lunch at Grillby’s. But it was closed today. I think I had something relatively easy to put together at home, hopefully it required the absolute minimal effort to cook. I didn’t have the energy nor the will to truly cook lunch, nor the patience to order delivery. 

The trek to my apartment seemed to take twice as long as it usually did as I carefully weaved through monster and humans alike as they walked down the sidewalk to their various destinations. The smells of the city and monsters walking around me all mixed together into an undiscernible fog that made my head throb harder than it already was. Humans didn’t have much of a scent aside from the synthetic smells of cologne and perfumes they often wore. Each person had their own basic smell, but it wasn’t strong enough to really matter. Monsters on the other hand had very strong scents. A monster’s scent was as unique as their magical fingerprint and could be perceived differently depending on who smelled it. That scent was used to identify friends, family, foes, mark territories and mates, along with a conglomerate of other things. 

I took a deep breath through my mouth, avoiding drawing any air through my nose as I trudged through the crowds. It was a little overwhelming with the sidewalks so busy, but I pushed through it resolutely. Normally I drove to work to avoid the sensory overload on my way home after a long work day, but I had walked to work the day before because it had stormed that morning and there was no way I was driving my Harley in that mess. Work wasn’t that far from my apartment anyway and soon I would be able to put some food in my stomach and pass out on my soft queen-sized bed. The thought of my soft bed and horde of even softer blankets made me smile softly. 

The smells grew muted as I stepped into my apartment building, the outside door swinging closed behind me. It was an old apartment building, relatively affordable, quiet and it sat on the very edge of the human part of town. I lived on the fourth floor in a large single bedroom with a nice eastward facing balcony. It would have cost a fortune if it hadn’t been located so close to the monster part of town. Despite monsters being accepted as citizens for over a year now, there was still some tension between the two races and property like this became dirt cheap soon after the monsters began to settle into the edge of town. Which I took advantage of, I liked the space it provided and its proximity to my bakery. It suited me; I didn’t belong to either parts of town and it allowed me my privacy.

By the time I made it up the last flight of stairs, I was half tempted to just sleep on my couch and skip food all together. I was that tired. The door to the stairwell was heavy as I leaned into it, using my body weight to push it open. I was so close. My soul ached fiercely. 

“Why?” I came to a halt, staring at my door unable to believe my eyes. The hallway was covered in moving boxes. My door and the apartment’s next to it were completely blocked by multiple large moving boxes. “You have got to be kidding….”

Multiple scents tickled my nose as I stepped toward the boxes blocking my door. They belonged to monsters, more than one if the layering of smells rolling off the belongings said anything about their owners. I now have monster neighbors. My tired brain was too slow to really process anything other than the fact that I couldn’t get to my apartment and there were monsters moving in.

I felt the temperature rise before the smell of caramel and whiskey flooded into the hallway through the open stairwell door. Turning I watch Grillby step into the hallway, boxes stacked in his glowing orange arms. When my eyes met his glasses, he paused.

“Your friend’s?” I nodded toward the various boxes sitting in the hall. I watched as he quickly moved to a smaller stack of boxes to put down the ones he was currently holding. When he straightened up, he nodded and moved down the hall to where I stood, exhausted, in front of my door. I must have looked as run down as I felt because I could see his brow pinched with worry once he stood in front of me. “Why are there so many boxes in the hallway if they are moving in?”

“They went down to the office to get their keys.” Grillby’s mouth pulled open with a hiss as he looked over me. I nodded as if that explained everything. Sure, it did. A man of so few words.

“Could you help me move them? I really just wanna go to sleep and I am kind of trapped out here.” I stepped forward to try to maneuver the box on top of the stack but was stopped by a warm hand on my shoulder. Grillby shook his head and guided me to sit on a sturdy looking box. Too tired to protest I dropped my duffel and purse to the floor and sat when he carefully pressed down on my shoulders. 

Once he was sure I wasn’t standing back up, he quickly turned to the boxes blocking entry to my apartment and began to shift them out of the way. I stared down at my ink covered hands as I listened to him work. I needed to go in for a touch up soon. The color that normally stood out between the harsh, black lines was starting to fade. I would have to make an appointment and ask how much it would be to touch up both sleeves and the backs of my hands. It’d have to be on a Sunday preferably sometime after lunch. I wonder if Keith- Wham!

I jumped up when the door to the stairwell suddenly slammed open.

“YOU BETTER NOT FALL ASLEEP AGAIN SANS! YOU ARE NOT GETTING OUT OF MOVING BOXES!” A towering skeleton ducked into the hallway as the door bounced off the wall with the force of his enthusiastic entrance. He wore white shirt that read “TOO COOL FOR YOU” in large black letters topped by a red scarf and a pair of blue jeans and red sneakers. The skeleton was glaring over his shoulder as he moved into the space. I winced when he spoke again, his voice way too loud for my sensitive ears. “I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL NOT TOLERATE YOU BEING A LAZY BONES AND LEAVING ALL THE WORK FOR ME AND GRILBY. WHO, I MUST REMIND YOU, HAS TAKEN TIME OUT OF HIS BUSY SCHEDULE TO HELP US!” 

“don’t worry bro. i will be sure ta think outside the box.” The tall skeleton, Papyrus he called himself, let out a screech of outrage as a shorter skeleton in a blue hoodie slumped into the hallway. I clenched my jaw and covered the ear closest to the two monsters. Had this skeleton ever heard of inside voices? “aw come on Pap. i was sure that one would’ve got ya moving.” 

“SANS!” Papyrus’s cry made me duck my head and cover both ears as he began to scold the shorter skeleton, Sans I believe. Damn, he was way too loud for such a small space. My head was splitting in two, I could feel tears of pain stinging the corner of my eyes, the noise and my clenched jaw making the throbbing behind my eyes worse. 

I gasped when two very warm hands covered my own, moving them away from my ears.

“Luna.” When I opened my eyes, nothing but warm, orange flames and glasses filled my vision. I realized that Grillby had whispered my name into a completely silent hallway. “Food and then sleep. In that order my dear friend.” 

Before I could say anything, he had scooped up my purse and duffle bag and began to herd me to my now clear apartment door. With an exhausted sigh, I fished my keys out of my pocket and unlocked my door. I didn’t have enough energy to argue with him as we both ignored the two large skeletons standing, now silent and staring from the other end of the hall, and I opened my apartment door. 

Grillby followed closely as I moved into the dark apartment, switching on a lamp as I moved into the living room. Grillby illuminated the space well enough on his own. I heard him setting my things down and shutting the door as I made my way slowly to my kitchen after kicking my shoes off toward the couch. My shoulders relaxed as I heard my deadbolt slide into place. Grillby had been around long enough to know I hated leaving my home unlocked, even if I was only going to be home for a few moments, he knew I wouldn’t relax until the door was secured. We both knew he would be leaving as soon as he was sure I was finally settled, but old habits die hard and others never die at all. 

I was in the middle of making a peanut butter sandwich when a warm hand turned me away from the counter. Without a word, Grillby placed something small in my hand and ushered me into a chair at my kitchen table. I opened my hand as I sat down. Neatly wrapped monster candy sat in my palm. He must have gone to my bathroom and dug it out of my first aid kit. I haven’t restocked my normal supply that usually sat in a bowl on my living room table in about a month.

“Eat that first.” Grillby hissed out softly as he took up the task of finishing the sandwich I had started. I watched him as I unwrapped the candy and set it on my tongue. A smile ghosted over my lips as the candy dissolved and disappeared completely and my headache began to ease up. It wouldn’t go away completely until I actually got some sleep but the intensity that of which it stabbed at my eyeballs lessened. Grillby turned around with my sandwich, checking that I had eaten the candy before he set it down on the table and began to rummage through my refrigerator. 

I obediently began to eat my sandwich as I watched the flame elemental dig around until he found my orange juice, one of the only drinks I had left. I really needed to go grocery shopping soon. When a glass was placed before me, I immediately took a quick drink to wash down the sandwich. Grillby sat down in the chair next to me and waited patiently until both the sandwich and orange juice were gone. 

“Now go rest.” Grillby stood up and helped me to my feet before drawing me into a hug. I wrapped my arms tightly around him as a silent thank you, I could feel him softly brushing his cheek on the top of my head. The smell of caramel and whisky enveloped the small room, relaxing me further. “I will do my best to keep them quiet. Lock the door behind me, I will see you Monday.” 

I nodded against his chest before stepping away to let him leave. Once he stepped back out into the hallway, I made sure to lock my deadbolt and slide the chain into place and before making my way to my bathroom. Quickly, I washed my face and tugged my hair out of its ponytail before I took the time to meticulously brush out every knot, knowing it if I didn’t do it now it would take even longer to untangle when I woke up. When I finished, I leaned against the sink and stared into the mirror. 

Dull amethyst eyes stared back, dark bags weighing them down. My face was soft, pale, clear, and very human. I took a deep breath, holding it. 1 2 3 4 5. The breath hissed through my nose as I began to let my shoulders relax, closing my eyes, letting it all go. 6 7 8 9. I let my eyes flutter open again as I felt my magic fade away. 10.

Another person gazed back as I ran my hand through my hair, feeling normal for the first time since I left my home yesterday. Black tribal tattoo-like markings framed my eyes, curving down elegantly to caress my heart-shaped jaw. My face had become more angular, more predatorial. My once round doe eyes were tilted up at the edges, thinner but only slightly so, and my cheek bones sharpened out. I still looked exhausted, but more like…me. 

I let out a relaxed breath as I pulled my hair behind my ears and tilted my head to begin cleaning my piercings. A black industrial bar ran through the top of my sharply pointed right ear, two hooped helix piercings in my left, and three studs adorned each of my earlobes. I made sure each was thoroughly cleaned with an alcohol swab. Then I leaned forward and grabbed my electric toothbrush. My reflection grinned as I bared my teeth, inspecting the sharp pearly whites. Two large fangs hung gracefully where my top canine teeth should be and the rest of the teeth I could see were delicately pointed. I didn’t straighten back up until I made sure every tooth was clean and the toothpaste completely rinsed from my mouth.

It felt good to be home, glamour took up a steady stream of magic and I didn’t think I could have held it if I had been stuck out in the hallway for much longer. I had a hunch Grilby knew this, probably was why he had worked so quickly. With a tired groan, I rolled my neck to pop it and walked out of my bathroom, turning off the lights as I went in the direction of my bedroom. The room was pitch black, but I could see everything clearly as I moved to the queen-sized bed in the center of the room. 

I burrowed into the mass of soft blankets on the center of the bed and sighed in contentment as I let my body give into the heavy exhaustion I had been fighting all day. I didn’t even bother to change out of my day clothes before I drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I am mean. But we at least got to see the skeleton bros. And I love writing big bro Grillby :)


	3. Tea. Earl Grey. Hot

It was early the next morning before I stirred again, my internal clock waking me up with the rising of the sun. I didn’t mind, I had slept the rest of the day before and throughout the entire night without waking up once and I felt well rested, my energy stores completely recharged. I started to stretch my body, starting with my arms above my head and ended with my toes pointed toward my headboard, sticking out of my nest of blankets. The alarm clock sitting on my nightstand said it was 5:30 am, early enough to make some tea and watch the sunrise.

I smiled softly as I wiggled to free myself from the blankets wrapped around my torso. I loved being awake enough to enjoy the sunrise from my balcony, soaking up the peaceful silence as the world slowly began to wake up from my tiny little domain. I would prefer to watch it from the roof of one of the taller buildings, but it was still a lovely view. 

My black kettle was quickly filled and set to boil as I made my way back to my room to change out of yesterday’s clothes. Digging through my closet I found a cropped t-shirt that was covered in a black and red vintage rose pattern. I slipped on a bra and pulled the shirt over my head before I pulled out a pair of dark jean shorts out of my dresser, putting them on just as my kettle began to scream from the kitchen. Trotting, I made my way into the kitchen to move the kettle off the burner before turning to grab a mug from the cabinet. 

Soon the water was poured, and I had my favorite passion fruit tea steeping as I gathered up the sugar jar and then the dark green afghan from the back of my couch. I set both on the desk chair next to the glass sliding doors that lead out onto my balcony. Mornings were usually cool before the sun rose to its peak this early in June, which made sitting with a blanket in my lap comfortable. 

I returned to the kitchen to grab my mug of tea and scooped up the sugar and afghan after I slid the door open. I paused before I stepped out onto the balcony, feeling my magic flare up as I pulled on my glamour like a mask. Just in case any neighbors were outside, though it wasn’t likely since it was so early on a Sunday morning. Call me paranoid, it has kept me alive this long. Placing the mug and sugar on the iron table sitting near the railing, I turned and slid my door shut before I settled down in my wooden lounge chair with the afghan pulled over my lower half.

My balcony looked like a small corner of the rain forest was growing out of my apartment. I hung planters on every inch of my railing, filling them with lush, colorful plants, vines snaking down toward the pavement below. A small tree sat in the left corner and in the right a set of iron shelves were covered in pots of flowering plants. It was my little paradise and my way of getting around not being able to have my own garden in the city. 

The skyline was starting to lighten as I leaned forward to stir in the right amount of sugar into my mug. I let out a pleased sigh after I took the first sip of tea, steam billowing out of my mouth when I exhaled, returning to my lounging position. Everything was perfect, aside from the dull ache emanating from my chest, but I ignored that in favor of soaking up the first rays of the sun that peaked over the horizon. 

“Good morning sun.” I murmured softly over the rim of my mug, eyes focused on the rising sun that was turning the morning into a cacophony of deep oranges and blue, not a single cloud in the sky. 

“GOOD MORNING NEIGHBOR!” The shout came from the balcony to the right of mine, making me yelp in surprise and barely kept from spilling hot tea all over myself. My head whipped around to see the tall skeleton from yesterday stepping out onto his balcony. He wore a shirt that said “COOL DUDE” on it and a pair of black jogging pants. I sat my mug down on my table as I sat up, checking to make sure I hadn’t spilled any tea on my afghan. Once I was sure it was still dry, I looked back up at the skeleton who stood there smiling expectantly at me.

“Umm….Good Morning?” I frowned slightly as I stood up, setting my afghan on my chair so I could properly face the monster before me. 

“MY NAME IS PAPYRUS. ME AND MY BROTHER SANS JUST MOVED IN YESTERDAY.” I winced as the volume of his voice almost made my ears ring. “WE SAW YOU TALKING TO GRILBY YESTERDAY BUT DIDN’T GET TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES PROPERLY. FOR THAT, I THE GREAT PAPYRUS, MUST APOLOGIZE.”

“Oh, uh….no, it is ok. You don’t need to apologize.” I smile politely despite the tinnitus I was surely developing from being so close to this loud skeleton. There was no need to make a bad impression on my new neighbors, they didn’t seem threatening, just loud. “I wasn’t exactly the best company yesterday. My name is Luna by the way.”

“IT IS A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU MISS LUNA!” Papyrus seemed to almost vibrate with energy as his orange eye lights expanded and his grin widened. “I AM SURE WE WILL BECOME GREAT FRIENDS!”

I grimaced at his loud declaration and decided immediately that if I were to be expected to interact with Papyrus on a regular basis, the volume would have to be lowered or I would go deaf.

“Hey…uh Papyrus.” 

“YES MISS LUNA?”

“Just Luna is fine.” I chuckled softly, leaning on the small amount of empty space on my railing closest to his balcony. “Could you please do me a favor?”

“BUT OF COURSE.” Papyrus also moved closer as well.

“Could you please talk a little softer?” I watched as his eye sockets widened in surprise at my request. “I have sensitive ears and your voice is hurting them.”

“OH! IM SOR-“Papyrus cut himself off. “I’m Sorry For Hurting Your Ears. I Did Not Realize I Was That Loud.”

My smile widened at his effort to speak softer. He was nowhere near as loud and was nearly at a normally volume. Much better. 

“It is ok, you didn’t know.” He seemed like a genuinely sweet monster; I knew from looking at him he didn’t do it on purpose. “I hope you and your brother are settling in just fine. This is a pretty quiet apartment building, especially since this is the top floor. So, it should be pretty peaceful here.”

“YE- Yes, We Are Most Definitely Settling In Nicely. I Have Almost Finished Unpacking.” Papyrus looked very proud of himself. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I had seen all the boxes in the hallway the day before. To get all that unpacked so quickly was impressive. “All Of The Humans Here Are Very Kind. It Will Be So Cool To Live In An Apartment With Nothing But Humans!”

I almost snorted when he said that. Nothing but humans? Not exactly true. I bit back a snicker as I turned to grab my tea before it got too cold. My glamour must be stronger than I originally thought this morning. That or Papyrus didn’t really rely on his senses as much as I expected another monster would, he was clearly from the underground. I returned to the railing when I had gained a little more control over my expression, sipping my tea.

“So Papyrus.” I braced my arms on the railing and cupped my mug securely between my hands. I glanced at his clothes. “Getting ready to go for a jog?”

“Ah! Yes I Am! Great Observation!” Papyrus beamed at me and I smiled back, his good mood feeding into mine. “Would You Like To Join Me On A Friendship Run?”

A small frown pulled at my brows. Friendship run? That was a new one. I gave it a moment of thought before deciding against joining him. I wasn’t exactly in the shape to be running this morning.

“No thank you Papyrus. Maybe next time?” I almost immediately regretted my answer as a dejected look passed over his face. I scrambled to fix it. I didn’t need to upset the neighbors so soon. “Uh, maybe next time? I could bring something over this afternoon, you know? As a housewarming gift?”

This seemed to be the right answer as Papyrus’s face lit up once more.

“THAT-“ He stopped when I cringed. “That Would Be Most Wonderful Miss Luna! I Look Forward To It!” 

“Just Luna. How does 3 o clock sound?” I answered his grin with a kind smile.

“Wonderful! We Will See You Then!” Papyrus bounced in place on his balcony. “Until Then, Farewell Miss Luna! Nyeh heheheh!” 

Before I could say anything, the excited skeleton bounded back into his apartment, sliding the balcony door closed behind him. A soft breeze blew the scent of sandalwood and citrus to my balcony. I inhaled softly, taking the scent in to remember for later, it was Papyrus’s. 

“I guess I am baking today.” I murmured to myself. Drinking the rest of my tea, I turned to gather up the afghan I had abandoned and my sugar jar. “I wonder if Grilby would count this as resting.” 

Technically I wasn’t working. I was baking because I wanted to for my new neighbors. I didn’t get to meet new people often, let alone new monsters. Despite many coming in and out of my bakery on a regular basis, I didn’t really get to interact with them that much. That and they thought I was just another human much of the time. Grilby was really the only monster I interacted with. He had guessed from the start that I wasn’t as human as I seemed. We had become fast friends, our spirits kindred. 

It wouldn’t hurt to make some new friends. This time. Hopefully. 

~~~  
Many hours and a trip to the grocery store later, found me carefully making a strawberry topping for the cheesecake I had put together. It was an easy recipe, not too hard to make on my day off. I had also picked up a box of earl gray tea to offer to them if they wanted. It seemed like the polite thing to do and black tea went well with cheesecake. 

I checked the time on my phone, I had about 20 minutes to finish up and make my way to the apartment next door. The cheesecake should be set enough for me to put the strawberry topping on it by then. I set about cleaning up the mess I had made in my kitchen after I moved the strawberry mixture to cool off. 

Checking to make sure that I hadn’t made a mess of myself while baking, I moved to my bathroom to pull my hair down from the bun I had tossed it in earlier that morning. I brushed it out, making sure I hadn’t gotten anything on my face in the process. When I was sure I was clean, I wandered back into the kitchen to finish up the cheesecake. 

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the door of my new neighbor’s apartment, knocking quietly.

“SANS!” I could hear Papyrus shouting from behind the door. “SANS! GET OFF THE COUCH THIS INSTANT! ANSWER THE DOOR, I AM BUSY! IT MUST BE MISS LUNA.”

I couldn’t hear Sans’s reply but a few moments later the door opened up, revealing a rather tall skeleton. He wore a baggy blue hoodie, a pair of black sweatpants and a white t shirt that looked like it had seen better days. Sans stood about half a head taller than me and peered down at me with white eye lights. His face was stretched into a relaxed grin as he leaned against the door frame, he seemed to be studying me. 

“Hi. I’m Luna. Your neighbor, I talked to Papyrus this morning.” I smiled kindly up at him. “I brought cheesecake.” 

“its gouda ta meet ya. the names sans, sans the skeleton.” Sans spoke in a deep rumbling voice as he pushed off the door frame and stepped back to allow me to walk inside the apartment. Papyrus let out an enraged scream from the kitchen. Sans chuckled as I walked in. “paps has been going on about ya coming over all day.”

“GOOD AFTERNOON MISS LUNA!“ Papyrus bounded into the living room, he had changed into a pair of jeans and a simple white t-shirt since this morning. “YOU’RE-“ he cut himself off when he came to a stop in front of me and Sans, catching himself when he saw me flinch at his voice. “You’re Just In Time For Tea!”

I grinned at his enthusiasm and held up the box of earl gray I brought and nearly laughed when Papyrus bounced with excitement. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Sans eye sockets widen immensely at his brother’s sudden volume control.

“It goes well with cheesecake.” I lifted the cheesecake up for Papyrus to inspect as he carefully took the box of tea out of my hand. “I hope you guys like strawberries.”

“Strawberries Are Wonderful!” Papyrus handed his brother the box of tea and took the cheesecake out of my hands. “Come And Sit! I Will Put The Kettle On!”

I followed Papyrus to their kitchen, glancing around the apartment. True to his word, Papyrus had almost unpacked everything. A few boxes were scattered about the living room, but the kitchen was completely unpacked. Papyrus seemed to be very clean and organized, everything had its place and the kitchen looked immaculate. It was a stark contrast to my currently messy apartment. But in my defense, I had just finished a very busy work week and had not actually been home as much as I had wanted to. 

Papyrus gestured for me to sit at the kitchen table as he set the cheesecake down on the counter and moved to fill a silver kettle up with water. I settled into my seat, taking the one where the I could see the whole room, and watched Sans slumped into the seat across from me. His eye lights stared at me, seeming to be trying to pick apart my very being, which made me shift in my chair so I would be angled toward the door. Hopefully, I would be able to get out easily if this visit went south, I didn’t know how fast a skeleton could move and I wasn’t quite ready to find out. Sans seemed to watch my every move as Papyrus puttered around the kitchen, gathering the things necessary to serve the cheesecake. 

Sans quickly slumped further into his chair, letting his skull roll back lazily to hang over the back of the chair, when Papyrus turned to the table to set down three slices of cake. I let my shoulders relax some once Sans was no longer staring at me and smiled politely at Papyrus as he took a seat between Sans and me. 

“Sans! Sit Up Straight You Lazy Bones! We Have A Guest!” Papyrus moved the plates so each of us had a slice and a fork, glaring good-naturedly at his brother. Sans made a show slowly sitting up, acting as if he was struggling to lift his own weight. Papyrus rolled eye lights and let out an exasperated sigh as he picked up his fork. “Be Polite And Try The Cheesecake Miss Luna Bought For Us!”

“Oh…uh I didn’t buy it.” Two sets of eyes turned to peer at me, both widened slightly in surprise. “Well I did buy the ingredients, but I made the actual cake.”

“Wowie!” I was shocked when Papyrus’s eye lights turned into large stars. “Did You Really?! It Looks Like It Came From The Store! Doesn’t It Sans??”

“yeah. it looks real good bro.” Sans poked cautiously at the slice on the plate in front of him. I smile mischievously at Papyrus.

“Well I would hope it looks good since I bake for a living.” I laugh softly when Papyrus’s jaw dropped open. “I really hope you like it, I kind of put it together last second. It’s not poisonous, I promise.”

I laugh earnest when Sans’s cheeks dust blue and he ducks his head, having enough grace to look slightly embarrassed. To prove my point, I scoop up a forkful of cake and pop it into my mouth with a grin. 

“Well Of Course It Isn’t Poisoned! That Would Be A Waste Of Cake!” Papyrus shot Sans an outraged look before also taking a bite of his cheesecake. His eye lights expanded comically. “WOW! THIS IS AMAZING!”

I wince and tilt my head, so my ears don’t catch the full force of the volume of Papyrus’s voice. Once he had gotten over his initial reaction to the cake, he realized what he had done and sent me an apologetic look, which I waved off with a small smile. The skeleton looked like he wanted to say something, but the kettle chose that moment to whistle.

“Excuse Me! I Shall Make The Tea.” I watch Papyrus jump up and trot over to the stove before I turn back to Sans who had just taken a bite of his cheesecake. His brow bones rose as he chewed and I watched expectantly, waiting to see what he thought about it.

“your right, its not poisoned.” I started to smile but stopped when Sans’s head suddenly hit the table and his whole body went limp. I let out a startled squeak as the force of it made the whole table shake, rattling the plates and forks. 

“Sans!” Papyrus half yelled from the stove as he poured the hot water in some mugs. Sans snorted like he was just waking up and slowly sat back up, making a show of blinking tiredly at his brother. Papyrus sighed in annoyance before he turned to face me. “Miss Luna, Do You Like Sugar Or Honey In Your Tea?”

“Sugar since it is black tea. Honey works better with white teas and chamomile.” I watched as Sans picked his fork back up to finish his slice of cake.

“it seems ya got this down to a tea.” Sans winked at me and I snorted, trying to hold back a laugh at the bad pun. Papyrus cried out in outrage and set Sans’s mug down harshly on the table, almost spilling it. “easy there bro, kettle down. ya wouldn’t want to make a mess.”

“Sans! One More Pun And We Are Leaving! Miss Luna Doesn’t Deserve To Be Subjected To You Horrible Jokes!” Papyrus carefully set my mug down with container with sugar that had a spoon sitting in it. “I’m Sorry Miss Luna. I Hope My Brother Hasn’t Put You Off Your Tea.“

“It’s fine, Papyrus.” I smile at him, speaking softly as I set about putting the right amount of sugar in my tea. “Trust me, it’ll take a lot more than a few puns to put me off my tea.” 

“If You Say So.” Papyrus set down with his own mug of tea. We sat in silence for a moment as I sipped my tea and watch Papyrus and Sans quietly from my chair. Sans had finished his cheesecake and Papyrus was just finishing his slice. 

“so ya said ya bake for a living?” Sans broke the silence as he picked up his mug of tea, raising his brows over the rim as he took a drink. I put my teacup down before I answer.

“I do. I actually own a bakery down on 6th street called The Black Orchid Bakery.” I keep my hands wrapped around my mug, soaking up the warmth from it.

“That Is Amazing Miss Luna! How Long Have You Owned A Bakery?” Papyrus grinned at me as he set his fork down and scooped up his mug to take a drink. 

“Two years this December. What do you two do for a living?”

“Sans Works Down At The Labs And I, The Great Papyrus, Am Currently In Between Jobs!” I took a few bites of my cheesecake while Papyrus talked. “But I Am Trying To Remedy That! The Great Papyrus Shall Work Again!”

“I am sure you will.” I smile once I swallow my cake. Sans seemed to be watching our conversation with mild interest. “What are you wanting to do?”

“I-“ Papyrus frowns down at his mug. “I Am Not Sure…”

“Nothing wrong with that.” I give him a reassuring look. “You will figure it out. Trust me. Very few people just wake up one day and know what they want to do with their life. It took me many years before I figured out that baking was what would make me happy. You just need to stop to take the time and evaluate what you want from life and how you want to go about getting it. It is just a part of life. So, don’t let that get you down, everyone deserves to be happy.”

I was staring at the mug in my hands as I spoke, thinking about how hard I fought to get to where I was now. How many nights I spent staring up at the sky and searching every corner of my soul to figure out what I wanted. How I would keep living, or if I even wanted to. 

Wow. Ok. That got dark suddenly. I shook my head slightly to clear it and looked up to see both Papyrus and Sans staring at me. Papyrus seemed to be in his own head, a serious look creasing his brow bone as he processed what I had said. Sans seemed to look at me like he was really looking at me for the first time since I walked through the door. I could see understanding in those white eye lights. 

“Well…um…anyway. Sorry. Didn’t mean to lecture you.” I laughed nervously, worrying the handle on my mug as I stared at my ink covered fingers.

“No Need To Apologize!” Papyrus seemed to jolt out of his thoughts and looked at me in earnest. A large grin spread across his face. “Thank You So Much For The Advice! I Shall Most Definitely Think About What You Said!”

I glanced at the clock and realized that it was almost 4:30. I hadn’t realized that a whole hour and a half had passed that fast. I should probably leave and let them settle in for the evening. 

“stay for dinner.” Sans’s voice rumbled from across the table, almost as if he had read my mind. “its about time for it anyways.”

“OH! YES! You Must Stay For Dinner Miss Luna! We Can Make Friendship Spaghetti!” Papyrus jumped up out of his seat, excitement causing his voice to raise suddenly before he got it back under control.

“Friendship spaghetti?” I frowned in confusion and looked over to Sans. His grin grew and he nodded as if he agreed with Papyrus. I turned back to Papyrus, still confused but found myself nodding. “Sure, why not?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for Friendship Spaghetti!


	4. Little Talks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it is a day early but I couldn't wait to post the next chapter. XD

Cooking with Papyrus was an experience. Fun but an experience none the less. It took me a bit to convince him to go along with my recipe, but not before he had splattered three tomatoes all over the kitchen and himself. By the time we finally finished cooking we were both a mess but we were grinning at a pot of spaghetti that didn’t look half bad at all especially after I impressed upon him that glitter was in fact not edible unless you bought a specific type.

I grabbed a rag to start whipping the mess off my person as Papyrus set the table to eat. Sans had escaped to the living room to get out of the way, but he quickly returned when Papyrus called out that everything was ready. He entered the kitchen looking kind of nervous when he slumped into the seat he had occupied earlier. I walked over and passed the rag to Papyrus so he could clean up as well and reclaimed my seat.

Sans let out a sigh of relief when Papyrus piled the spaghetti onto his plate. I didn’t know what he was expecting but if how many times I had to intervene to keep Papyrus from adding inedible ingredients, I understood his relief at seeing normal looking spaghetti. I hope Papyrus didn’t normally cook that way and he was just over enthusiastic to be cooking with someone new. I knew most monsters had hardy stomachs, but I also knew even they couldn’t eat some of the things Papyrus had considered vital ingredients.

Dinner passed quietly with some small talk. I found out that the two of them had been previously staying with some friends and had finally decided that they wanted their own space. Papyrus had insisted on living in a mostly human neighborhood in the name of fostering good will and peace between monsters and humans. A noble cause, I must admit, but not an easy one. The apartments allowed for him to work towards that goal and were closer to Sans’s job, so the commute was easier. They were also close to the monster part of town so that they could easily visit friends and have access to the stores that provided monster food and things they needed on a regular basis. 

It was all really thought out, I had a hunch that they (mostly Papyrus with some input from Sans) taken a lot of time to really think this through and search for the right apartment building. I knew price wasn’t really an issue since monster gold was worth so much nowadays, so the other factors must have been weighed very heavily for them to choose this building.

I told them that I had been living in the apartment next door for about three years now, I had moved in during my last year at culinary school. When asked how I knew Grillby, I told them that his bar and grill was directly across the street from my bakery. That I had met him shortly after he had opened, and we had been friends ever since. Turns out that Sans had spent a lot of his waking hours at Grillby’s underground, and still did now that the new place was open but mostly in the evenings after work. Which explained why, while we had been in the same area, we had yet to cross paths, that, and dumb luck. 

We sat and talked well after dinner was finished and soon I was glancing at the clock and balked when I saw that it was already pushing 8:30. I needed to get back to my apartment so I could start winding down to sleep. I had to be at the bakery by 5:00 in the morning, and that was going to come a lot earlier than I wanted. I said my goodbyes and stood to leave; Sans stood as well as if to walk me to the door. 

When I reached the door, I expected to just leave and walk the couple feet to my apartment. I was surprised when Sans stepped out into the hallway as well, shutting the door quietly behind him.

“hey.” Sans stood, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. “i….uh…i wanted to apologize for earlier.”

I frowned slightly, confused as to what he was apologizing for.

“its just that since moving above ground….” Sans sighed and rubbed the back of his skull as I waited patiently for him to gather his thoughts. “well lets just say people haven’t exactly been nice since moving up here and i was a little suspicious. sorry for giving ya the stink eye and all that. i know now i was being stupid and-”

I held up a hand to stop him, now I got it, shocked it didn’t cross my mind before. 

“Never apologize for looking out for yourself and your brother. You had every right to be wary of me, and I won’t hold it against you if you still are. Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It never was and never will be.” I smiled ruefully up at Sans. “I get having to watch your back. Papyrus is your brother and I imagine you would do anything to keep him safe and happy. I know I would if I had a brother or sister.” 

Sans stood there blinking for about a minute, shocked into silence. I smiled understandingly and leaned against the strip of wall that sat between the two apartment doors.

“thanks. no really.” Sans interrupted me when I started to object. “thanks for getting it. and for making Pap’s day. i…uh…hope to see ya around. goodnight luna.”

“Goodnight Sans, I had a nice evening as well.” I grinned at the skeleton in front of me, happy to have made two new friends. I was now up to three, man I was on a roll. Trying to take a subtle deep breath, I carefully inhaled Sans’s scent. Surprisingly, he smelled of crisp wintergreen with undertones of cedar, a rather pleasant scent but very different from his brother’s softer blend of citrus and sandalwood. I would have to remember the two scents if I were to be seeing more of the skeleton brothers, it’d make my life easier. 

I gave Sans a small wave as I unlocked and stepped into my apartment, he waved back before turning back to his door. I locked my chain and deadbolt before kicking off my shoes and heading for a much-needed shower, I think I had spaghetti sauce behind my ear. 

~~~

It was Wednesday before I saw the skeleton brothers again. I was working the front counter because Levi had called in sick, so I had Tony manning the kitchen with Janet while I kept an eye on Angie as she served customers seated at the tables in the café. I looked up from where I was restocking the display case when I heard Angie yelp in surprise. At least she wasn’t screaming this time, some improvement is better than none. It was too early for it to be Grilby, so it had to be someone new. 

Papyrus stood in the middle of the café, looking around with wide eye sockets, seeming to be trying to take it all in at once. He wore a black pair of jogging pants and a bright orange cut off t-shirt that looked like he had taken scissors to it. He had the same red running shoes as yesterday. The look of awe on his face made me grin. He was too cute.

“Good morning Papyrus. What brings you here?” I watched as his head jerked to the counter and a huge smile spread across his face. Papyrus strode forward, stopping in front of me on the other side of the counter.

“GOOD-“ Papyrus stopped and let out a small cough, trying to cover up his slip of volume control. He must really be working on it, I grin wider, encouraging him to continue and showing that I wasn’t’ upset with the mistake. “Good Morning Miss Luna! It Is Good To See You Again! I Was Finishing My Morning Run And Decided To Stop By And See Your Bakery. It Is Really Quite Lovely I Must Say!”

“Well thank you. I worked really hard to get this place how I want it.” His smile seemed to light up my darkly colored café, he really was just that full of life. I leaned casually against the counter and looked up at the tall skeleton that seemed to take up a lot of space in my small café area. Not only was he tall but he had rather broad shoulders and looked as muscled as a skeleton could without having skin and flesh. I studied his beaming face for a moment more before standing up straight again. “So, what can I get you this morning Papyrus?”

“I’m Not Sure. It All Looks So Good!” I laugh softly as Papyrus had to stoop to look into the display case. He looked around animatedly, frowning in thought. When he glanced up at me, I smiled again and pointed behind me to the menu tacked to the wall behind me. Papyrus seemed to almost panic when he was presented with even more options. “Oh Dear, I Don’t Think I Can Decide!”

I took pity on him, there really was a lot of options and most customers already knew what they wanted before they came in unless they wondered in on a whim. 

“How about I pick something out for you? I know it’s a lot to choose from, it can be overwhelming.” I watched as Papyrus lit up again.

“Oh! Would You? I Am Sure You Know What Is Best Since It Is Your Bakery!” Papyrus bounced excitedly in place. 

I studied Papyrus once more. He was a large monster, probably ate a lot or preferred to eat something more filling. He had just gone for a run, most likely hasn’t eaten yet and it was quite warm outside already despite it being only 9 in the morning. If Sunday was any inclination, then he left rather early for his run this morning. So, a long run, large monster with a lot of energy, high temperatures outside. I think I knew what to grab him, but I still had a few questions.

“Do you like tea or coffee more, and do you want anything sweet?” I moved to start grabbing the food I thought he would like. “And will you be taking it with you or eating here?”

“Tea Most Definitely! And I Would Love To Try One Of Your Pastries! And I Have Time To Eat Here.” Papyrus clapped his hands with joy. He watched me like a hawk as I moved around behind the counter.

“Go find a seat and I will bring the food out to you.” I chuckled as he followed me as I moved down the counter almost like a lost puppy. I waved him off and paused what I was doing to watch Papyrus take a seat at one of the small, two person tables. It was comical watching him try to arrange himself in a chair that was clearly way too small for his large frame. I made a note that whenever I was able to make renovations to the front café to add larger tables and chairs for larger monsters. Not many monsters stayed to eat, often deciding to just take their orders with them. But if more wanted to sit and eat, I needed to make sure that the seating area would accommodate anyone, human or monster. 

Motioning for Angie to step behind the counter for a moment, I moved into the kitchen to put together Papyrus’s food and drink. It didn’t take too long, what I was looking for had just came out of the oven so it would be extra fresh and the tea I was looking for was prepared in larger quantities regularly because it was very popular during the hot summer months. 

I assembled everything on a couple plates and balanced them and a glass of tea on one of the silver serving trays we used when bring food out into the café. 

“Here you go Papyrus. Three breakfast sandwiches, a cherry turnover, and hibiscus and dragon fruit iced tea.” I smiled as I set the plates onto his table, quickly followed by the glass. The faint smell of citrus and sandalwood swirled around the table as he stared down at the food set in front of him. “Everything look good? Anything you would like to swap for something else or add?”

“No! Not At All!” Papyrus beamed at me, scrunched up in the tiny chair. I almost laughed at how funny he looked like that. Citrus and sandalwood grew stronger as he took a sip of tea. “Wowie! That’s Good!”

He must not be actively controlling his scent, I thought absent mindedly as I stood there for a moment in guise of making sure everything was to his liking, taking in the fluctuating smell wafting from the skeleton. It was very different than Grillby, who had a tight control on his scent. Sure, he let it flare up whenever he visited or while he worked in his bar, but I knew from experience that it was all intentional. He was marking his territory, letting other monsters know that his bar was his domain and it was under his protection. When he visited me or my bakery, Grillby purposely let his scent flood the room, but it wasn’t as heavily as he would with his bar or home. It was a way of letting others know that I was a dear friend of his and transgressions wouldn’t be tolerated, not a claim of property but a claim of friendship. 

I did the same with my apartment and bakery, every morning before opening, I would make sure that the bakery was clearly marked as my territory. I let my scent linger on purpose, letting other monsters know that a monster lived there. It was a very common practice among monsters, well at least the ones on the surface. I wasn’t so sure about the ones from the underground, especially after meeting the skeleton brothers. 

I had noticed on Sunday that other than belongings they interacted with regularly and themselves, their scents were nowhere to be found in their apartment. It was odd. Especially since Grillby had acted the way I had expect another monster to act. Was it because they were born underground? Something to think about later when I had the free time. They clearly didn’t seem to notice my own scent, otherwise they surely would have said something. But it wasn’t like I blatantly advertised that I wasn’t human, just my scent was all-

“Miss Luna?” Papyrus’s worried voice cut through my thoughts, startling me and making me realize I had been spacing out. Well crap. “Is Everything Ok Miss Luna?”

“Oh yes Papyrus, I am sorry. I spaced out there for a second.” I smile at him, slightly embarrassed that I had drifted off into my own head. I don’t know for how long but obviously it was long enough. “So, is everything good? Did you want something else?”

“No, It Is All Perfect! It All Tastes Really Good!” He was smiling once more, he had already ate his turnover and was about to start one of the sandwiches. “You Have A Very Lovely Bakery! I Will Have To Visit More Often! I Will Bring Sans If I Can Convince Him Not To Be Lazy Before Work!”

“Well I am glad you like it all. I will leave you to finish up your food. Your ticket will be at the counter so whenever you are ready you can come up there to pay. Or if your wish to order something else just waive down me or Angie, my waitress. And we will take care of it.” His praise turns my smile into an honest grin. Sure, the numbers in the accounting books told me monthly that the bakery was doing well but that was different from hearing an honest complement from an actual customer. Now if I could just get him to drop the ‘miss’.

I gave Papyrus a nod before turning back to the counter to swap out with Angie once more, taking over ringing up a customer who had just arrived to pick up two dozen cupcakes for a party. When I was done, I looked up to see Papyrus sitting quietly at his table, phone out and typing away. Most of his food was gone and he held his glass of tea aloft in one hand, seeming to be in his own world now. Definitely needed to get bigger tables and chairs. 

Papyrus stayed for another hour, slowly drinking his tea, and seeming to just be enjoying the atmosphere of the bakery. I left him to his own devices as an influx of customers flooded the bakery. Many were scheduled to pick up small cakes or caterer orders for some event or the other. It was a small midweek rush that happened from time to time. I found myself darting back and forth from the kitchen to the register with Tony as we moved to quickly thin out the crowd that seemed to just appear, leaving Angie to deal with the seated customers on her own. It was a little harder being down one staff member but we managed to work through all the waiting customers and Tony returned to the kitchens to help Janet catch up on the baking needed to restock the display case. 

It was at the end of this rush that Papyrus approached the register to pay for his food and drink. I smiled as he expressed his hopes of seeing me again soon before leaving, waving from the door before he disappeared into the busy sidewalk. The smell of citrus and sandalwood swirled through the air in his wake. 

The rest of the day was quiet. Grillby came by as usual before he crossed the street to open for the day. We talked quietly for a little bit before he left, he seemed to have a knack for showing up when there were very few customers which worked perfectly for catching up on how each other’s days have been so far. Other than that, it was a normal day at the bakery.

It was about 5:30 when I turned the sign on the front door, letting the rest of the world know that The Black Orchid Bakery was officially closed for the day. I lingered at the front door for a moment, staring at neon lights of the sign for Grillby’s Bar and Grill. After a moment, I had made my decision and walked back into the kitchen where Tony and Janet were finishing up whipping down their workspaces for the day. Angie was gathering her things to clock out for the night, having already put away her apron. I helped finish the clean up so they could leave for home quicker and soon found myself waving and calling goodnight as Tony finally walked out the employee’s entrance after I assured him that there was nothing else he could do and that there were no current standing orders. I swear he has too much energy to know what to do with. 

6:30 found me shutting off the last lights in my office and slinging my purse over my shoulder, careful of the pastry box on my right arm. Once everything was shut off and I had locked the employee’s entrance, I set off down the side alley and carefully crossed the street to Grillby’s. 

Caramel and whiskey enveloped my senses as I walked in, smothering the smell of any other monsters in the bar. The room was pleasantly warm, and despite the suffocating summer heat outside it felt welcoming. It was kind of odd, not feeling bothered by the temperature, but that magic for you. It was weird like that. 

My eyes immediately landed on my fiery friend standing behind his bar, casually cleaning a glass as a few patrons milled about in the booths, a couple of them sitting at the bar proper. One of which wore a distinct blue hoodie, slumped lazily in his seat with a plate of fries covered in ketchup sitting in front of him. I let my scent flare out and swirl around me as I strode confidently to the bar, Grillby looking up to meet my eyes with his glasses as my scent reached him. I watched as his mouth pulled open into a soft smile and he sat the glass down behind the bar.

“Good Evening Grillby.” I return his smile with one of my own and hold up the pastry box for him to see as I moved closer to the bar. “I come bearing the means to barter.”

I dramatically place the pastry box on the counter with a flourish before easily sliding onto a barstool, dropping my purse to sit between my feet. Grillby’s cracking laugh reaches my ears as he reaches for the box, the blue hoodie next to me jerking to sit up straight at the sound. I could see the white gleam of a skull out of the corner of my eye as I leaned forward to rest my arms on the bar. Grillby lifted the box lid to inspect the box’s contents before he moved the box behind the bar and leaned forward to mimic my posture on the bar. His mouth still cracked open in a grin as he leaned into my personal space, neither of us breaking eye contact.

“What will it be my dear?” His voice crackled softly over the din of the bar. I made a show of think of what could want for a moment before grinning once more.

“I will have the usual please.” I wink at Grillby as he straightens back up. 

“Coming right up.” He crackles as he disappears though the door behind the bar to fix my meal. I can see Sans watching me from the corner of my eye, so I turn on my bar stool to face him.  
“Hey neighbor.” I rested my chin on one hand casually as Sans also turned to face me on his bar stool. 

“hey neighbor.” Sans mirrors me with his skull resting on an open hand. His grin almost lazy as he grabs a ketchup soaked French fry, tossing it into his mouth. I get a brief glimpse of blue tongue behind his teeth. That is a lot of ketchup.

“Any more ketchup and you are going to turn into a tomato.” I looked at the plate next to Sans, raising my eyebrows. I could barely see the French fries for the ketchup piled on them.

“nah red ain’t my color, besides, you can never have too much ketchup.” To prove his point, Sans scoops up the bottle of ketchup that sat beside his plate and took a long draw from the bottle. I made a gagging noise, making another deep chuckle rumble from the skeleton. 

Before I could respond, Grillby set my order down in front of me and rested one hip against the bar so he was facing both me and Sans.

“Here you go, one Luna Special and a burger.” He crackled as he picked up a glass to start cleaning with a white washcloth. On my plate was a classic burger with the works and beside it was what looked like a strawberry daiquiri. I immediately picked up the daiquiri and took a sip, humming in appreciation as the sweet taste of a virgin daiquiri and blood washed over my tongue.

Grillby had created the drink for me ages ago when he found out what I was. He said it was bad for business if I sat at his bar and didn’t order anything. Since he was a restaurant owner, he had the permits needed to have blood on the premises for customers. I couldn’t metabolize alcohol and drinking a glass of blood in public usually put people off their food. So Grillby, the sweetheart he was, concocted this drink for me and dubbed it the ‘Luna Special’. 

“hey grillbs, why haven’t ya named a drink after me?” Sans put a hand to his chest, feigning being hurt.

“Ketchup already has a name Sans.” Grillby hissed out as he picked up a new glass to clean. I cough out a laugh, almost choking on my drink at the flame elemental’s deadpan response. Sans chuckled and reached over to slap my back as I cleared my windpipe. 

“no need to get all choked up over it.” Sans winked at me as he removed his hand, I held back a snicker at the bad pun and turned to my food. If Grillby had eyes I knew he would be rolling them. “so, you and grillbs know each other for a bit?”

“Yeah, over a year now.” I go along with the small talk, slowly eating my burger, feeling the monster food dissolving in my mouth as I chewed. “We met shortly after he opened the bar. He came over to introduce himself since he was across the street from my bakery. Kinda hit it off.”

“so…are you two….a thing?” Sans’s deep rumbling voice sounded curious but the look on his face almost said that he didn’t quite want to know the answer. Me and Grillby stared at him for a moment before looking at each other, dead silent.

We both broke out into loud laughter. I clutched the bar as I wrapped an arm around my stomach. I was laughing so hard I could feel tears streaming down my face and could hear Grillby’s roaring laughter next to me. I clutched my sides and nearly slipped off my stool, barely breathing as I laughed, this was too good. 

“G-god no!” I barely manage to get out in between my laughter that had finally started to devolve to giggles. Grillby was still crackling, gripping the bar to support himself. I brought my hands up to wipe my eyes, Sans was grinning lazily from his stool next to me as he watched us try to pull ourselves together. “He is like my brother!”

“well if ya inSis.” Sans’s grin grew wider as I started to giggle again. “i wont brother you about it anymore.”

Grillby shook his head exasperatedly, still chuckling softly as he picked up the glass he had put down so he wouldn’t drop it. 

“I am not going to even dignify that with a response.” I managed to calm down enough to only be giggling softly as I once again picked up my drink to take a long sip from it. Letting out a happy sound, I let my shoulders relax as the drink calmed my system. 

“so, what does the Luna special taste like?” Sans leaned against the bar, taking a swig from his ketchup bottle.

“You wouldn’t like it; I’ve got weird tastes.” I wink at the grinning skeleton, swirling the drink to mix what had settled before finishing it off. 

“weirder than ketchup?” Sans cocked a curious eyebrow at me. 

“More than you know.” Grillby chuckled at my mysterious tone as he took away my empty cup and plate, holding said cup up in silent question. I shook my head no; I could hold out until Sunday now that I had a little pick-me-up. 

Sans looked at me searchingly for a moment before shrugging and letting it drop. I pulled out my phone and checked the time and sighed. I wanted to sit and talk for longer, but I needed to get home before it got too late. I had to come into the bakery extra early tomorrow to get started on six-tiered wedding cake that had a lot of detail work. I doubt I would see the outside of the decorating room tomorrow. The order had to be done before 7 am on Friday. 

“I gotta go boys.” I stood up from my stool and stooped down to grab my purse. While I was picking it up, Grillby came around the bar and wrapped me up in a warm hug. I sighed happily into his chest and returned the hug enthusiastically. “Probably won’t see you tomorrow, it’s going to be a very busy day.”

“That is fine. Stay safe my dear friend.” Grillby rubbed his cheek across the top of my head as he tightened his arms around me. I responded by nuzzling into his chest, making sure to leave my scent behind. After a moment we both pulled away and Grillby spoke softly. “Be careful driving home.”

“I will. Goodnight Sans, it was good to see you again.” I smiled kindly at the skeleton who was watching me and Grillby with an odd look on his face. He seemed to snap out of it when he heard me speak.  
“it was good to see ya too luna.” Sans have me a two fingered salute in farewell. 

With one more wave goodbye I slipped out of the bar and crossed the street where my midnight blue Harley Davidson CVO Breakout was parked. Once I made sure my purse was secured in my saddle bag and my riding leathers were on, I slipped my helmet on and let the engine roar to life. After looking out for traffic, I eased out onto the road and made my way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little one on one time with the skellys. I hope you enjoyed this chapter :) Next chapter will be from Sans's point of view.


	5. Peaches and Amber

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is from Sans's point of view. After this chapter it will return to Luna's pov. It is also kind of long, I hope that is ok. It covers the time from when Sans and Papyrus move in to the end of chapter 4.  
> I had a few extra chapters ready so I decided to go ahead and post this one on my regular upload day.   
> I hope you enjoy it :)

~Sans~

The last thing I expected on my first day in our new apartment was to be woken up by my brother bursting into my room, talking 90 miles per hour. Sure, Papyrus barged into my room all the time, often when I was asleep, for some reason or another, but normally he waited at least until 9 am on my days off. When I did work Papyrus often burst through the door at 6:00 on the dot to bid me farewell before he went for his morning run and to make sure I was indeed out of bed in time to get to work on time. Short cuts only saved time if there was actual time to save, they were useless if I was already late. 

I had taken the day off to finish unpacking my room and catch up on some sleep I had lost during the whole moving process which had taken three days. Two of which were dedicated to packing and the third to actually moving all of our belongings. Pap and I had stayed up late the days we had packed so we could get everything done in time for the move in day on Saturday. 

Don’t get me wrong, I loved staying with Undyne and Alphys. They were good friends to me and Papyrus and the house they had bought soon after moving to the surface and being allowed to own property had more than enough room for the four of us. But after a year of staying with the newly engaged couple, me and Pap were more than ready to have a place to ourselves. We were both excited to move into the new apartment, Papyrus so much so, I had to make him go to sleep the night before the move so that he could actually be rested enough move all the boxes up four flights of stairs. 

I thanked my lucky stars that Grillby had said yes when I had asked last week to help move the boxes over. They needed the extra set of hands to be able to move it all in one day, and all day it had taken. Undyne was too busy with training to help other than with packing in the evenings and Alphys had a conference that the college she worked for had sent her to out of town to. The clock had said 2:00 am when I finally crawled into my unmade bed to pass out until my body was ready to wake up the next day.

That had been the original plan, but now I sat up in bed, blinking blearily as Papyrus chattered on and on about something my brain had yet to process. I glanced at my phone after I grabbed it off the floor. It was 6:30 am. On my day off. All I could do was blink at my phone a few times, trying to get my brain to catch up with my brother who was currently digging through the backpack that I had packed so I could have some clean clothes to wear until all of my were unpacked. It was 6:30 am. 

“-AND SO SHE IS COMING OVER AT 3. ISN’T THAT WONDERFUL SANS??” Papyrus had found the clothes he wanted me to wear and placed them neatly out on the foot of my bed. 

“whose comin’ over bro?” I frowned up at my brother. He was dressed for his daily run and stood in front me with his hand on his hip bones, looking a little exasperated. I was so confused.

“MISS LUNA! DO KEEP UP BROTHER. WE NEED TO FINISH UNPACKING AND MAKE THE APARTMENT LOOK NICE BEFORE SHE ARRIVES.” Papyrus clenched his fist and stuck a superhero pose. “THE GREAT PAPYRUS SHALL ALWAYS MAKE A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION! WE SHALL BE THE BEST OF FRIENDS! NYEH HEH!”

“miss luna? who is that?” I slowly sat up, scratching at the back of my skull, trying to wake up some more. It was too early for this. 

“WHY OUR WONDERFUL NEIGHBOR OF COURSE! YOU SAW HER YESTERDAY!” Papyrus sighed dramatically when all I did was quirk a browbone. A memory nagged at my sleep deprived brain, but I couldn’t quite bring it to mind. “THE ONE GRILLBY WAS TALKING TO OUTSIDE OUR APARTMENT!”

Oh. The strange woman Grillby had followed into the apartment next to ours. He had disappeared for a bit and Papyrus and I had already started to move the boxes from the hallway into our new apartment when he had reappeared and simply set back to work. When Papyrus had asked if she was a friend of his, Grillby had simply nodded and continued to work, not offering any further information. He was monster of few words, and despite my curiosity, I had let it go. 

“why is she coming over again?” I sighed as I leaned forward to grab the clothes Papyrus had gotten out. Outside a nap later, I knew I wasn’t going to be allowed to go back to sleep any time soon. When Pap got like this, nothing stopped him. 

“I JUST TOLD YOU! WE WERE JUST TALKING OUT ON THE BALCONY AND NOW SHE IS COMING OVER AT 3. SHE SAID SHE IS BRINGING US A HOUSEWARMING GIFT! I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO SIT AND HAVE TEA. SHE IS GOING TO BE OUR NEIGHBOR FOR A WHILE AFTER ALL!” Papyrus beamed in excitement as I started to get dressed. Changing out of my clothes from yesterday that I hadn’t been bothered to change out of before passing out the night before. “COME NOW BROTHER, WE HAVE WORK TO DO!”

I groaned; I didn’t know who this Luna was, but she had better be worth losing sleep over. I didn’t even want to have anyone over this soon after moving in, but if it made my brother happy, I would do it. I just didn’t have to enjoy it. 

~~~

Around 2:30, I collapsed onto the couch and immediately drifted off into a light doze until Papyrus woke me up to answer the door. 

“alright, i got it bro.” I blinked a few times before yawning, shaking off the sleep. I couldn’t let myself be half asleep with a stranger in our home. That was just asking for trouble, who knew what this human could do. Our landlord had been kind enough sure, but that said nothing about the other tenants. I stretched as I stood, brushing my fingertips over where my soul resting in my chest, wincing slightly. It had ached dully ever since the barrier had broken, but since it hadn’t really hurt my hp and hadn’t gotten any worse, I ignored it. Most of the time. 

I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting when I opened their front door, but white hair and purple eyes definitely wasn’t it. I hadn’t gotten a good look at the human before Grillby had disappeared into her apartment. I looked down at her, she wasn’t short for a human, but me and my brother were just naturally taller than the majority of them, save a few special cases. She had long hair, longer than I have seen on other human females. It was a very odd color, I wondered if it had been dyed that way because I didn’t think opalescent white was natural coloration for humans. The same could be said for purple eyes, but hey what did I know. I avoided most humans on principle, having not had many good interactions since coming to the surface. 

In her arms she held some kind of cake and a small box that I couldn’t quite see the label on. Her arms were about as weird as her hair, they were covered in thick black lines that curved and swooped all the way down from her t-shirt sleeved to middle of her fingers. Splashes of bright colors peaked out between the lines, almost every color of the rainbow covered the spaces that the black didn’t. Weird. 

I kept my face neutral, letting it shift into my natural grin. I had leaned against the door frame and observed her. She didn’t seem very threatening. She smiled up at me and I tried to see if it was fake.

“Hi. I’m Luna. Your neighbor, I talked to Papyrus this morning.” She paused, shifting on the spot. “I brought cheesecake.”

“its gouda ta meet ya. the names sans, sans the skeleton.” The pun slipped of my tongue easily as I moved to allow her to walk into the apartment, I couldn’t make her stand there forever. As she moved past me, I saw similar black markings covering the lower part of her back that her flowered shirt left exposed. They didn’t extend around to her stomach and barely curled around her sides. Hmm. I followed once the door was closed, chuckling at Papyrus’s reaction to my pun. “paps has been going on about ya coming over all day.”

“GOOD AFTERNOON MISS LUNA!“ My watched my brother bounce into the living room, smiling easily at his boundless energy. I had to keep my jaw from dropping when my brother did something I never thought he would do. “YOU’RE-“ Papyrus seemed to catch himself. “You’re Just In Time For Tea!”

I felt my eye sockets go wide. I had never in my life heard Papyrus talk that quietly. Usually people just rolled with my brother’s loud enthusiasm and he never thought twice about the volume of his voice. I had grown more than used to it, could almost sleep through it if I was tired enough. And here he was speaking softly to the human that stood between them in their living room. 

I vaguely heard them talking about strawberries as I watched, flabbergasted, Papyrus lead the human into our kitchen after handing me the box she had brought. It was tea, I read the label distractedly and followed behind them a few paces. Faintly something tickled my nasal cavity as I sat down, pushing the box of tea across the table toward where Pap was working. Automatically I slumped into the chair and began to really look at the human that now sat at my kitchen table. 

I looked for anything and everything. She had metal piercings in both ears, had a soft athletic build. I was searching for any kind of malice or ill intent the in purple orbs that stared back into my eyes. There had to be a catch, I thought as I watched her shift uncomfortably in her chair. A little nervous, but that could be from being in the company of two strange monsters. Most humans were nervous around me and Pap, sadly more so around Pap due to his large stature. 

I moved to a more relaxed slump as I saw my brother move back to the kitchen table, purposely rolling my head back over the chair to bug him. Papyrus wouldn’t approve of me making the human uncomfortable. He had made it very clear that he was wanting to befriend her, saying so multiple times throughout the day as we unpacked, and he cleaned the apartment. I slowly sat up, purposely making a show of it to get a rise out of my brother as I looked at the piece of cake that had been placed before me. 

“Be Polite And Try The Cheesecake Miss Luna Bought For Us!” 

It was really weird hearing him talk so quietly.

“Oh…uh I didn’t buy it.” I jerked my head up to look at human, Luna, Papyrus had told me multiple times today. She made this? Why? She didn’t know them. “Well I did buy the ingredients, but I made the actual cake.”

“Wowie!” I glanced over at Pap, watching his eye lights turn into stars as he stared at the cheesecake before him. “Did You Really?! It Looks Like It Came From The Store! Doesn’t It Sans??”

“yeah. it looks real good bro.” Cautiously, I poked at the slice of cake, there had to be a catch. Humans didn’t just bake people cakes, at least not from my experience. Frisk was an exception, they tended to go against everyone’s expectations. 

“Well I would hope it looks good since I bake for a living.” I glanced back up at her soft laughter. “I really hope you like it, I kind of put it together last second. It’s not poisonous, I promise.”

Oops, I had been caught. I could feel my magic condense on my cheek bones, feeling slightly embarrassed. I watched out of the corner of my eye as she took a bite of the cheesecake, grinning good naturedly. 

“Well Of Course It Isn’t Poisoned! That Would Be A Waste Of Cake!” Papyrus gave me an outraged look as he took a bite of his cheesecake, and I smiled sheepishly. My smile turned into a grin as I watched my brother enjoy the cake. “WOW! THIS IS AMAZING!”

I could see the human flinch slightly when my brother’s voice suddenly raised in volume and quietly observed the apologetic look, he sent her. She waved him off with a smile and the tea kettle began to whistle. So, his voice bothered her, my eyes narrowed slightly, and he was accommodating her to try to win over her friendship. He didn’t need to put out so much effort, if she couldn’t accept him for who he is then he didn’t need to bother being friends with this human. Pap could always find another. He had a kind spirit. 

Papyrus excused himself to fix the tea and I decided to go ahead and try the cheesecake she had brought. I felt my brows raise as flavor washed over my tongue, it tasted pretty damn good. The sweet strawberries mixed really well with the cream cheese in the cheesecake. Well I could at least believe she did bake for a living. 

“your right, it’s not poisoned.” I let my head suddenly drop onto the table, intentionally missing my plate and letting it fall like a dead weight. When I heard her squeak in surprise I almost laughed, but held it in, and played dead. 

“Sans!” I was still shocked when Papyrus didn’t screech at me but only half yelled in exasperation. Snorting, I shifted and slowly lifted my head off the table, playing like I had fallen asleep suddenly, blinking at Pap as I did. “Miss Luna, Do You Like Sugar Or Honey In Your Tea?”

“Sugar since it is black tea. Honey works better with white teas and chamomile.” Well isn’t she peculiar. I picked up my fork again to take another bite of the cake. It was too good to let it go to waste.

“it seems ya got this down to a tea.” I winked at her, Papyrus cried out in anger and he slammed down my mug next to my plate. I turned to grin innocently at him. “easy there bro, kettle down. ya wouldn’t want to make a mess.”

“Sans! One More Pun And We Are Leaving! Miss Luna Doesn’t Deserve To Be Subjected To You Horrible Jokes!” Papyrus set the humans mug more carefully than mine. I raised my hands in surrender, not wanting to anger him too much with a guest in the house, even though it was fun to egg him on. “I’m Sorry Miss Luna. I Hope My Brother Hasn’t Put You Off Your Tea.“

“It’s fine, Papyrus.” I took another bite of cheesecake as she spoke quietly, almost soothingly to my brother. “Trust me, it’ll take a lot more than a few puns to put me off my tea.”

I wonder, briefly what it would take before she was put off her tea. Though I wasn’t that mean. She was a guest after all even if I wasn’t so sure about her yet. 

“If You Say So.” Papyrus sat down between us as I finished the last bite of the cake. I almost wanted to go back for another, but I refrained because it would upset Pap if I ate too much before dinner. We sat in silence for a few moments as Papyrus ate before I decided to make small talk. 

“so ya said ya bake for a living?” I raised my mug of tea up to my mouth to sip at it, careful not to scald my mouth with it. Might as well try to get to know her. 

“I do. I actually own a bakery down on 6th street called The Black Orchid Bakery.” I watched her cradle her mug carefully in her hands. 

“That Is Amazing Miss Luna! How Long Have You Owned A Bakery?” Papyrus was grinning at her. I watched quietly. 

“Two years this December. What do you two do for a living?”

“Sans Works Down At The Labs And I, The Great Papyrus, Am Currently In Between Jobs!” Yeah, his last job hadn’t been what he had wanted, and since we could afford it, I encouraged him to quit so he could look for another job. “But I Am Trying To Remedy That! The Great Papyrus Shall Work Again!”

“I am sure you will.” She smiled at him as she put down her fork. I watched her move, looking for the tell-tale ticks of a lie. I found none. “What are you wanting to do?”

“I-“ Papyrus frowns down at his mug. “I Am Not Sure…”

I frowned slightly at the disheartened tone of my brother’s voice. I wish I could help him, but I didn’t know what to say to ease the frustration. What the human said next made my eyes snap back to her and stare.

“Nothing wrong with that.” No there wasn’t. “You will figure it out. Trust me. Very few people just wake up one day and know what they want to do with their life. It took me many years before I figured out that baking was what would make me happy. You just need to stop to take the time and evaluate what you want from life and how you want to go about getting it. It is just a part of life. So, don’t let that get you down, everyone deserves to be happy.”

She looked down at her hands, a small frown pinching at her brow. I stared, unable to do anything else as it finally hit me. She had said everything that I knew my brother needed to hear so bad. What I couldn’t put into words. I had a feeling that for a moment she had borne her soul to us. She got it, and then some. I watched the emotions flicker quickly over her face, some of them sad and dark, before she shook herself out of her own head and looked back up at me. Amethyst met with my eye lights and I held her gaze for as long as she let me. Searching those purple depths. She got it, all of it. A smell tickled my nasal cavity, but I couldn’t quite distinguish it from the smell of the tea in my hands. 

“Well…um…anyway. Sorry. Didn’t mean to lecture you.” She laughed, a nervous edge to her voice as she broke my stare to look back down at her hands. 

“No Need To Apologize!” Papyrus grinned at the human. No Luna, her name was Luna. “Thank You So Much For The Advice! I Shall Most Definitely Think About What You Said!”

She looked at the clock over the stove and moved as if to start the process to leave. I wanted her to stay, she was an enigma and I wanted to figure her out. She posed no threat to us and seemed nothing but welcoming and kind. Time to return the favor, I thought. 

“stay for dinner.” I wanted to get to know her a little better, to let Papyrus get a chance to get to know her too. Who knew when the next opportunity would arise like this? That and I felt like I needed to make up for being so suspicious and cold. It went against a monster’s base nature to be so jaded, but I had to be, to protect Papyrus. “its about time for it anyways.”

“OH! YES! You Must Stay For Dinner Miss Luna! We Can Make Friendship Spaghetti!” Papyrus jumped up out of his seat, excitement causing his voice to raise suddenly before he got it back under control.

“Friendship spaghetti?” I grinned at her and nodded in encouragement at Papyrus. She nodded as well; her confusion evident on her face. “Sure, why not?”

~~~

I made my escape to the living room as Papyrus and Luna started on dinner. I didn’t want to be in there for the mess that was about to happen. It was one of the few times that my very neat brother was truly messy, and boy was it a sight to see. I began to doze lightly on the couch again, thinking about the human in the other room. I was glad that my initial distrust had been unfounded. Pap needed a friend other than me, Undyne was more of a mentor than friend and Alphys clicked better with me. Frisk stayed with the king and queen, so we didn’t see them much as they worked hard as the monster ambassador. It was good for a social creature like him to have friends. 

Luna seemed to be honest and genuine, if not a little guarded, but weren’t we all? None of her smiles had seemed forced or strained. But those eyes. Those eyes seemed to hold the age and experience of someone way older than she looked. 

I was brought out of my doze when Papyrus called that dinner was done. Oh boy, here we go. I slowly slinked back into the kitchen again, worried about what awaited me. Pap’s cooking wasn’t exactly easy on the stomach. The kitchen was a mess, though only slightly less than the usual. I sat down and waited for Pap to dish out the spaghetti I knew was awaiting, it was all he cooked. Relief flooded me as he dished out normal looking spaghetti, and I sigh happily when I took a bite. It was normal spaghetti and it actually tasted pretty good. 

We all talked quietly throughout dinner. Found out that Luna had lived here for a bit, gone to culinary school to open her bakery. We told her about our situation and how came to move her. The entire time, a soft smell tickled my nose. I rubbed at it a couple of times, thinking maybe I needed to sneeze but didn’t. 

She had known Grillby since he had opened up his bar and grill. I was shocked that in a year of going there almost daily, I hadn’t once seen her. We had been missing each other by mere hours. If Grillby liked her enough to befriend her, then I think I’d like to get to knew her a little better. It took a lot to get Grillby to open up. 

When it was time to go, I followed her out, shutting the door softly behind me. She waited patiently, though confused as I gathered my thoughts. 

“hey.” I shifted uneasily; it was always hard apologizing. But it needed to be done. “i….uh…i wanted to apologize for earlier.”

This seemed to confuse her further, so I pushed on ahead.

“its just that since moving above ground….” I rubbed at the back of my skull, trying to think of a way to tell her that I had expected the worse from her before she even said hello. “well lets just say people haven’t exactly been nice since moving up here and i was a little suspicious. sorry for giving ya the stink eye and all that. i know now i was being stupid and-”

I cut off when she held up a hand, understanding coloring her features as a fierce conviction filled her eyes.

“Never apologize for looking out for yourself and your brother. You had every right to be wary of me, and I won’t hold it against you if you still are. Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It never was and never will be.” She smiled at me, those purple eyes shining. “I get having to watch your back. Papyrus is your brother and I imagine you would do anything to keep him safe and happy. I know I would if I had a brother or sister.” 

All I could do for a time was blink at her like a dazed fool. I hadn’t expected that, though after talking with her for hours, I guess I should have. She leaned up against the wall, still smiling kindly at me.

“thanks. no really.” It was my turn to interrupt her as she started to object. “thanks for getting it. and for making Pap’s day. i…uh…hope to see ya around. goodnight luna.”

I meant every word of it. She had made Pap’s day, and in a way mine, renewing my faith in humanity, albeit only in the case of this one confusing human. 

“Goodnight Sans, I had a nice evening as well.” She grinned at me from her spot on the wall. We stood there for a moment before she straightened to leave. I took that as my cue and turned back to my door. 

I stopped as I heard her door click shut. The smell of peaches and amber flooded my nasal cavity and the air around the two apartment doors. Something about that smell made me inhale deeply, taking it in, made a vague memory stir in the depths of my mind, just out of reach of my recollection. Hmm. 

~~~

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I headed to Grillby’s after work on Wednesday. Well I guess I expected to sit quietly, eating my dinner and throwing around puns, trying to get a rise out of Grillby. What I didn’t expect was the smell of peaches and amber to invade my senses and mix comfortably with the warm smell of the bar.

Luna had walked in around the time I was finishing up dinner, content to just sit and enjoy the atmosphere that was Grillby’s. I watched her from under my hood, as she held up at white pastry box.

“Good Evening Grillby.” She sounded tired but happy. “I come bearing the means to barter.”

I start to chuckle softly but cut off when I hear a crackling noise. Was that Grillby...laughing? My skull jerked up in surprise as I sat up straight to get a good look at what was going on next to me. I watched as Luna sat down on a barstool down from mine and leaned forward onto her forearms. Much to my surprise, Grillby leans forward as well after looking at the box and putting it away, both very much invading each other’s spaces. He was grinning at her, mouth cracked open, staring into her eyes. 

“What will it be my dear?” My brow bones flew up as he spoke softly to her. She seemed to ponder this for a moment before she winked at Grillby. Something in my chest twanged briefly.

“I will have the usual please.”

“Coming right up.” Grillby disappeared through the door behind the bar and Luna turned on her stool to face. Peaches and amber still tickled my nose, stronger now than it had been when she first walked in. Was it a perfume?

“Hey neighbor.” She propped her chin up on her hand with her elbow resting on the bar. I mimicked her casual posture, turning to face her. 

“hey neighbor.” I reached beside me with my free hand to grab a ketchup soaked French fry, popping it into my mouth. 

“Any more ketchup and you are going to turn into a tomato.” Luna said as she raised her eyebrows at me. I smirked, hadn’t heard that one before. She stared at my plate, frowning slightly.

“nah red ain’t my color, besides, you can never have too much ketchup.” I grabbed my ketchup bottle and deliberately took a large gulp from it. The face she made in response was perfect. I chuckled as Grillby set her order down.

“Here you go, one Luna Special and a burger.” It was some deep reddish pink drink and a loaded burger. I frowned at the name, she had a drink named after her by Grillby and I had never heard of it? She took a long drink from the glass, making a pleased sound when she finally set it down. She seemed to really like it. 

“hey grillbs, why haven’t ya named a drink after me?” I put a hand to my chest, playing at being all hurt and offended. 

“Ketchup already has a name Sans.” Grillby hissed at me as he cleaned a glass. Oof. Deserved that one. A slight choking sound had me turning back to Luna to pat her back solidly to help her clear her airways. I laughed softly.

“no need to get all choked up over it.” I pulled away once I was sure she could breathe again. She almost laughed as Grillby shook his head at me. I kept rolling and asked a question that had been nagging at me. “so, you and grillbs know each other for a bit?”

“Yeah, over a year now.” Luna picked up her burger to start eating. “We met shortly after he opened the bar. He came over to introduce himself since he was across the street from my bakery. Kinda hit it off.”

My chest hurt at the next question on my tongue, but I spit it out anyways. I had to know, they seemed very close. 

“so…are you two…a thing?” I sat silently, waiting for the answer as they stared at me. Then each other.

Then both of them started laughing. Not the nervous laughter of denial, but deep roaring laughter. I watched, stunned as Grillby grabbed the bar for support, laughing so lough a few of the other patrons glanced over. Luna almost fell off her stool as tears ran down her cheeks. 

“G-god no!” Relief bloomed in my chest as she gasped out her answer. Grillby hadn’t quite recovered. I didn’t know why I was relieved, but I was. I grinned, relaxed at the two of them as they tried to calm down. “He is like my brother!”

Peaches and amber was almost the only thing I could smell now.

“well if ya inSis.” Luna started to giggle again, and my grin grew, almost hurting my cheek bones. “i wont brother you about it anymore.”

Grillby shook his head as he finally calmed down enough to finish cleaning the glass he had. 

“I am not going to even dignify that with a response.” She giggled softly as she picked up her drink once more. It didn’t look half bad; I watched her shoulders sag slightly as she began to relax. She made another happy sound.

“so, what does the Luna special taste like?” I was curious as I picked up my ketchup bottle again to drink from it.

“You wouldn’t like it; I’ve got weird tastes.” Luna winks at me as she swirls the glass a few times before knocking it back, finishing the last of it. 

“weirder than ketchup?” I cock a brow bone at her, nothing could be weirder than me drinking ketchup straight. 

“More than you know.” Her voice dropped a few octaves, sounding mysterious as Grillby chuckled softly. As if they were sharing some inside joke. What was in that drink? 

I watched Grillby clear away her plate and glass, trying to figure her out. After a moment I decided that if they wanted me to know they would have said something. I inhaled softly, peaches and amber still flooded my nasal cavity. Where was that smell coming from? Was it her?

“I gotta go boys.” I turned to watch Luna stand up and begin to gather her purse. Much to my surprise, Grillby stepped out from around the bar and pulled her into her arms. Luna returned the hug enthusiastically. I could barely hear her as he pressed her into his chest. “Probably won’t see you tomorrow, it’s going to be a very busy day.”

“That is fine. Stay safe my dear friend.” I frowned as Grillby rubbed his cheek on the top of her head. Something about that action brought back memories, and as she nuzzled into his chest, I realized that the smell of the bar had intensified along with the smell of peaches. What was going on, why did I feel like I was missing something? “Be careful driving home.”

“I will. Goodnight Sans, it was good to see you again.” Luna had pulled away from Grillby while I was lost in my thoughts. I blinked a few times as she smiled at me, clearing my head for the moment. 

“it was good to see ya too luna.” I saluted her as she turned to leave, taking the smell of peaches and amber with her. The bar had returned to its original smell from before she had walked in. 

I was missing something, and it was driving me crazy, something that had to do with the smell of peaches and amber, and family. And monsters. 

“hey grillbs.” He looked up at me from where he was putting away some clean glasses. I hesitated for a moment, I didn’t want sound stupid, but I had to ask. “do humans have scents like monsters?”

Grillby shook his head no, and I found myself frowning down at the plate in front of me, fries long forgotten as my brain worked to put the pieces together. Hmm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmm. ;)


	6. Sweet Tooth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is kind of a set up chapter for chapter 7. I apologize in advance if it seems like nothing really big is happening here but I feel like it was necessary to make the flow a lot smoother.   
> I hope you enjoy it :)  
> By the way we are back to Luna's point of view.

I hated when I was right. The six-tiered monstrosity had not only kept me in the decorating room all day Thursday, but I had also ended up staying the rest of the night at the bakery after getting a call. The customer wanted to change a few of the details of the cake and wanted to add chocolate sculpted figures to the top. I made it very clear that they would have to pay extra not only for the last-minute changes but the additions as well, they still had insisted. I guess money was no issue. Man, I wish it were.

The figures took well into the early hours of the next morning to sculpt. But it was what the customer wanted, and they paid enough to cover the over time. Too bad money didn’t pay back lost sleep. Levi was still out sick, so Tony had taken over the front café completely and I switched Angie to the kitchen to compensate for my lack of presence. Even with working all day and through the night I just barely finished the cake before the customers came to collect the cake at 7 Friday morning.

I had decided to take over the café today to avoid accidentally hurting myself in the kitchen. Taking orders and running the register didn’t take too much focus and I was tired enough that I knew I would either burn myself or drop something if I tried to help with the baking today. Friday was one of our busier days of the week, many customers came in to pick up orders for the weekend or to place orders for the next week. The café was usually full as well, many people coming in to sit and eat their food during their time off or to grab breakfast before work.

Angie’s yelp of surprise signaled the arrival of the skeleton brothers. I hadn’t expected to see them so soon after Wednesday, let alone both of them so early. Papyrus must have drug Sans out of bed, I thought as Papyrus happily strode up to the counter, his brother slowly following behind him, not quite awake yet.

“Good Morning Miss Luna! The Great Papyrus Has Returned!” Papyrus beamed down at me and I had to smile in return, despite how tired I was it was hard not to smile in the presence of someone so genuine. “I Also Managed To Bring My Brother Along With Me! Say Hello Sans!”

“hey what’s bakin neighbor?” Sans grins tiredly, chuckling when Papyrus made a noise of disgust at his pun.

“Good morning guys. Welcome to The Black Orchid Bakery.” I lean against the counter, still smiling tiredly. “What can I get you two this morning?”

“got coffee?” Sans yawns, mouth open wide, as he leans against Papyrus who just shifts to accommodate the added weight as he studies the menu. All I see is a black space in his mouth, but I could have sworn he had a tongue on Wednesday. Must be a skeleton thing.

  
“I Would Like Another Pastry Like I Got Last Time. What Was It Called Again?” Papyrus brought his hand up to his chin in a thinking pose as he started at the menu.

“We definitely have coffee, and I believe you had a turnover when you were here last.” I moved to start pouring the coffee. “Today’s flavor is strawberry instead of cherry, is that ok with you?”

“That Sounds Wonderful! I Would Like That And A Cup Of That Delicious Tea To Go.” Papyrus clapped his hands together once in excitement. “Oh Sans You Have To Try Some Of The Food As Well! You Can’t Only Have Coffee For Breakfast. Besides You Could Have Had Coffee At Home! Try Something New!”

“alright, alright. no need to grind me about it.”

“Sans!”

“heh. come on bro, don’t be so bitter so early in the morning.”

“I Am Giving You One Warning!”

“after all it’s such a brew-tiful day.”

“NYEH!” Papyrus threw his hands into the hair and whirled around to walk away. Sans stumbled at the loss of his leaning post and caught Papyrus by the shirt before he could truly get away.

“ok, ok. i’m done. no need to leave.” Sans was laughing softly as he tugged Papyrus back to the counter. I shake my head, watching them with a grin. “so, what should i get bro? you seem to be the expert here.”

“How Would I Know What You Should Get Sans? I Don’t Know What You Want, And There Are Too Many Options! I Had Miss Luna Pick For Me Last Time, And It Was All Very Good I Might Add.” Papyrus grins at me, I beam at the complement. Oh, this sweet skeleton.

“alright. so, baker’s choice?” Sans seems to ponder this for a moment then shrugs. “sure, why not.”

“I know just the thing.” I quickly turn and walk back to the kitchen. I return to the counter with a small pastry box. “It is a new recipe. I believe I finally got it right. Lemon poppyseed monster candy muffins.”

“monster candy muffins?” Sans looks into the box as I hold it open for him.

“Yeah, I have been working on fusing some monster foods into normal recipes. They aren’t quite true monster foods. It took a lot of adjusting the ratios but the last batch Grillby gave a glowing review, so I decided to take it and add different flavors rather than the basic batter.” Papyrus leans in to examine the muffins as well, genuinely curious. Despite being exhausted, I felt a little more awake as I talked. “I am trying to make something that has the textures of human foods but the magical effects of monster foods along with the ability to be digested easily-”

By now both Sans and Papyrus were standing there smiling at me. Why were they smiling? I stop talking suddenly realizing that I had been just blathering about my muffins, way too much. I could feel my pale cheeks heat up slightly. Woops.

“Uh…sorry. I didn’t mean to ramble on like that.” I sit the box on the counter. “You don’t have to try them; they are still in the trial phase and might not be that good.”

“nah. now i have to try them, especially since you are so excited about them.” Sans grabs the box before I could take it away, grinning widely and winking at me. “gotta see if they are worth all this hype.”

“I Would Like To Try One As Well Miss Luna! They Sound Tasty!” Papyrus nodded enthusiastically. I blinked in surprise, my cheeks heating up some more. “What Magical Properties Are These Supposed To Have?”

“Um…well since they are lemon, I was trying to go for an invigorating effect. You know for when someone needs that extra boost of energy to get through the day. I am still trying to figure out what magical effects would go with what flavors. Lemon just seemed to say energy.” I shrug a shoulder as I start to gather up the rest of their order onto the counter. Papyrus’s turnover was put into a pastry bag and two to go cups prepared. “I have a half batch of chocolate as well if you want to try it.”

“Most Definitely!” I grinned up at Papyrus before I go to grab two of the chocolate muffins as well. “What Is The Chocolate Supposed To Do?”

“Comfort and happiness. But I am not sure how well it will work; it is my first try at adding two effects in one.” I frown thoughtfully. “One might outweigh the other, if so, I will need to work on equalizing it. That or just make two different recipes.”

“how do you make them?” Sans had sat down the pastry box and pulled out one of the muffins, inspecting it curiously.

“That is a secret.” It was my turn to wink at Sans as I began to ring up the order. Purposely leaving the muffins off the ticket. I would never make anyone pay for trying a new recipe. Sans plucked one of the muffins out of the box and began to unwrap it as Papyrus payed for their food. Papyrus and I watched as he took a large bite from the top of the muffin, I could see a glowing blue tongue in his mouth before he bit down. Definitely must be a skeleton thing.

Almost instantly Sans’s eye lights grew as his sockets widened in surprise. He looked more awake than he did a minute ago, almost peppy as he swallowed the bite.

“damn! that was cool!” Sans looked at me amazed and I grinned so wide my face almost hurt. I had got the recipe right!

“Language Sans!” Papyrus scolded almost as if it was a gut reaction. He was watching Sans intently, almost vibrating with curiosity.

“sorry bro, but you gotta try this!” Sans breaks off a piece of the muffin and hands it to Papyrus, who is now bouncing in place with excitement. When Papyrus takes the piece, Sans turns to face me with wide eyes. “how did you do that? i feel more awake than i would if i drank a whole pot of coffee.”

“Sorry I can’t give away my secrets.” I laugh playfully and watch Papyrus eat his piece of the muffin.

“WOWIE!” I flinch slightly at the volume of Papyrus’s voice but keep grinning none the less as I watch his eye lights turn into large stars in their sockets. “I Have Never Eaten Something Like This Before! It Tastes So Good! And Felt So Cool To Eat!”

“I’m glad you both like them so much. I was worried they would be another dud and just taste like regular muffins, or the effect would be wrong.” I quickly pull out my phone to open my notes app and star the recipe I had used. This was a great success, even more so than the last batch I gave Grillby. I couldn’t stop smiling.

“i don’t even know how to describe how this muffin tastes. you definitely chose right with the lemon though.” Sans tossed the rest of the muffin in his mouth, groaning happily at the taste. “way better than coffee.”

“Do You Sell These? I Know Someone Who Would Love To Try These! Our Friend Alphys Would Think That These Are So Cool.” Papyrus clapped his hands together excitedly.

“Not yet, they won’t be on the menu until I am sure I have the recipe perfected.” I shook my head as I handed him his change and closed the register. “But you could take one of the ones I gave to you to her. But be sure to do it today, I’m not sure how they will be when they aren’t fresh.”

“I Will Most Definitely Do That When I Go Over To Her House Later Today!” Papyrus picked up his order off the counter and seemed to pause, thinking about something. “Oh! Miss Luna, I Was Going To Ask If You Would Like To Go Running With Me Tomorrow?”

“I’m sorry Papyrus, I have work tomorrow and I don’t think you would want to get up at 4 am to run before I open the bakery.” I smile sympathetically. “But I am free Sunday morning, would that work?”

“Most Definitely! We Should Swap Numbers So We Can Decide A Time, Friends Should Have Their Numbers So They Can Talk To Each Other!” Papyrus pulls his phone out of his pocket to hand to me, which I willingly swapped with my own. “Sans! You Should Get Miss Luna’s Number As Well! You Two Could Be Good Friends!”

Sans chuckles as he begins to fish his phone out of his hoodie pocket, setting down the muffin box so he can check both pockets.

“you don’t have to cell me twice bro.” Sans passes his phone to me and takes mine from Papyrus to put his number in as well. When I finally got my phone back, I had two new numbers in my contacts. ‘The Great Papyrus’ and ‘fUnNy BoNeS’ were now listed under friends. I snicker at the ID tags they had added.

“I’m Terribly Sorry Miss Luna, But We Must Be On Our Way.” Papyrus pocketed his phone and picked up his order from the counter. Sans followed his brother’s example, gathering up his drink and the muffin box.

“Have a great day you two.” I wave happily as the two skeletons leave the bakery with their orders. It was good to see them both, but pretty soon I was swamped again, and a new crowd of customers came in for orders.

It wasn’t until almost closing time that I was able to stop and take break while Tony took over the front counter. I pulled out my phone to check for any new notifications or email orders as I walked back to my office so sit down for the first time in hours. No new emails but I had three new text messages.

**The Great Papyrus (1):** _‘Would 6 am be too early for our run on Sunday?’_

**The Great Papyrus (2):** _‘My friends Alphys and Undyne loved your muffins! They wanted to know where I got them so I told them about your bakery. They said they would definitely visit soon!’_

I smile softly and quickly reply, 6 am would be fine for the run. I thanked him for sending more customers my way before I opened the other message in my inbox. It was from Sans, sent some time around lunch.

**fUnNy BoNeS:** _‘why did the skeleton want a friend?’_

I smirk and text back.

**BellaLuna:** _‘why?’_

Almost immediately there was a response.

**fUnNy BoNeS:** _‘because he was bonely.’_

I snort and shake my head. He must be done with work, that or really bored.

**BellaLuna:** _‘you must think you are very humerus.’_

**fUnNy BoNeS:** _‘i find myself very punny.’_

**BellaLuna:** _‘what’s up Sans?’_

**fUnNy BoNeS:** _‘wanna grab some grillby’s with me sunday? figured we could get to know each other better.’_

I thought for a moment, I could go after I did my shopping and ran by the bank. I wouldn’t mind getting to know Sans more especially since I would be spending the morning with Papyrus. The skeleton brothers were interesting, I wanted to get to know them. I wouldn’t say no to two more friends, especially monster friends.

**BellaLuna:** _‘sure if you don’t mind it being around dinner time. I have some errands to run after my run with Papyrus.’_

**fUnNy BoNeS:** _‘sounds good to me. 5?’_

**BellaLuna:** _‘5 would be perfect.’_

**fUnNy BoNeS:** _‘see you then.’_

I sent a smiley face before putting my phone away and heading back to the front of the bakery to start helping shut everything down. Looks like my Sunday was going to be busy. Not that I minded one bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, a brisk morning run and dinner with Sans :)


	7. Oh The Humanity

By 6 am on Sunday I was dressed in black compression pants, a dark green work out shirt and my favorite running shoes and standing outside our apartment building waiting for Papyrus to come down. My hair was pulled into a high ponytail, the ends of my hair brushing the small of my back. I was bouncing on the balls of my feet in excitement, it had been a long time since I have been able to go running like this. Energy coursed through my veins and I felt almost jittery and giddy, this was going to be fun I just knew it.

“Good Morning Miss Luna!” Papyrus bounded out onto the sidewalk with endless energy.

“Good morning.” I smile in greeting. Papyrus wore an orange sports shirt and a navy pair of jogging pants and his red running shoes. “Are you ready for our run?”

“The Great Papyrus Is Always Ready! Nyeh Heh Heh!” Papyrus struck a gallant pose, a hand on his hip and a fist in the air. “I Am Sure You Have Already Stretched Adequately? It Would Be Bad If You Were To Hurt Yourself.”

“Way ahead of you.” I chuckle, rocking forward onto the balls of my feet again. I had stretched in my apartment before I had headed downstairs. Not that it made much of a difference, usually when I ran there was no time to even think about stretching. Rarely did I get to run for the fun of it. At least not run in the normal sense, I didn’t count free running. “So, do you have a route in mind?”

“Oh Yes! I Mapped It Out Last Night And Memorized The Path This Morning. It Should Be Sufficient For Our First Run!” Papyrus held up his phone briefly but pocketed it before I could get it good look at the route he had chosen.

“Well lead the way my friend.” I made a sweeping gesture down the sidewalk for him to start us out.

“Nyeh Heh! I Shall!” Papyrus turned and started down the sidewalk at a leisurely jog. I easily followed him, enjoying a chance to warm up some. Because of his height his stride seemed to almost be double my own, so it took twice the effort to keep pace, but I welcomed the challenge. 

We kept that pace for a few blocks before Papyrus picked up a little more speed but not quite running just yet. I guess we were taking it slow. Not quite what I expected from the hyper skeleton. I let him lead, turning corners shortly after he did, easily keeping up with his longer legs.

“So.” I started to get the skeletons attention after a few more blocks at this pace. Papyrus briefly glanced toward me in acknowledgement, so I pressed on. “I thought we were going for a run?”

“We Are Running.” Papyrus looked confused as we turned onto a strait stretch.

“I don’t know what your definition of running is, but this isn’t mine.” I huffed, only slightly frustrated. It took a lot to not dart ahead of Papyrus, I had a lot of pent up energy and I was really looking forward to spending it this morning. Please tell me he isn’t-

“Your Legs Are Much Shorter Than Mine Miss Luna. I Don’t Want You To Hurt Yourself.” I rolled my eyes so hard I almost hurt myself. Yep he was holding back for my sake. “Besides Humans Cannot Keep Up With Monsters And This Is Supposed To Be A Friendly Run. I Would Hate To Exhaust You.”

“Oh I wouldn’t worry about that.” I chuckle, trying not to be offended, fighting back the knee jerking reaction to immediately get upset. “I am a lot more durable than that. We can pick up the pace. I will live.”

“Are You Sure?” Papyrus looked over at me before we weaved around someone walking down the sidewalk in the opposite direction.

“More than sure.” Laughing, I let myself burst forward a little bit, pulling ahead of Papyrus. “Trust me, I will tell you if I can’t keep up.”

“If You Say So.” Papyrus almost sounded gleeful as he suddenly doubled the pace, keeping an eye light on me to see if I kept up. I grinned and picked up my pace, the restless energy in my veins pulsing happily. I giggled in exhilaration when Papyrus sped up to a near sprint, chasing after him, working double to keep up. Now this was a run.

As we ran, I kept track of the streets we passed. We were heading further into the human part of town, so I kept a cautious eye out for our surroundings. When I saw the street sign for Old Central, I quickly slowed back down to a jog.

“Hey, Papyrus.” I called as he moved ahead of me. Seeing that I was no longer beside him, Papyrus quickly came to a stop. I stopped next to him, a good distance from the street corner, barely out of breath. “Let’s not go this way.”

“Why Not?” Papyrus frowned down at me as I shifted around on the balls of my feet, not quite wanting to stop moving entirely. “This Is The Best Possible Route! I Mapped It Myself.”

“This isn’t a good part of town. Especially for monsters.” I glanced up and down the street, taking note of where we were, feeling my gut twist nervously.

“Well Why Not? We Are Allowed To Travel Throughout The City.” Papyrus looked concerned as he watched me grow even more nervous.

“Allowed, yes. Welcome? No.” I began to quickly walk back down the street, looking for an alley I knew was around here.

“Why Not?” He followed me regardless of the disbelief coloring his voice.

“Can I explain once we are in a different part of town? I promise I will explain but I really do not want to be here. I can lead us through the safer route.” I speed up to an easy trot as I reach the alley, quickly turning down it.

“Well All Right, If You Insist.” Papyrus trotted behind me, sounding a little unsure.

I sped up to a steady run, weaving down the back alleys. I knew these streets well and soon we were a lot closer to the monster part of town. We came out on a street I knew had a nice little café that didn’t really care who came in as long as they paid.

“We can take a break here, if that is ok?” Papyrus had remained oddly quiet up until this point as he followed me through the city, but he nodded as I gestured toward the door leading into the café.

Once inside we ordered some water and found a seat in a booth in the far corner, well away from the other customers. Papyrus waited patiently as I took a few sips of my water before speaking.

“What Happened Miss Luna?” Papyrus frowns when I sigh, staring down at my water in my hands. “How Did You Know All Those Paths Here?”

“I have lived in this city for a while, I know most if not all the streets. There are a lot of gangs in that area. It doesn’t matter if you are human or monster. They will jump you in a heartbeat and the results aren’t pretty.” I took another sip of my water and glance up at Papyrus who was now looking at me with an unreadable expression. I stared back down at my water, fidgeting with bottle lid. “I didn’t mean to seem so cryptic, but it was important that we didn’t stay in that area for long. Monsters have especially large targets on their backs. You get more clout in the gang world if you score a monster hit. I didn’t want targets on our backs.”

Surprisingly, warm boned fingers wrapped around my fidgeting fingers, causing them to still. I stared at them for a moment before following the hands up to his arms and then slowly meeting the white eye lights that stared into my eyes with warm understanding. Sadness lingered beneath the understanding; it was a very mature look on the otherwise cheery skeleton. I held his gaze and his hands gently squeezed mine.

“You know this from experience. Don’t you?” Papyrus murmurs softly. I wait a few moments before I nod and return my gaze to our hands. Idly, his thumbs began to rub the backs of my hand, tracing over the black marks that covered them. It tingled slightly but was a very soothing sensation accompanied by the scent of sandalwood and citrus.

Papyrus remained quiet for a while, keeping his hands on mine. I didn’t bother to move mine either, soaking up the comfort he was providing, trying to keep my mind from returning to a very dark place. When he finally spoke, it was just as softly as before.

“Thank you for telling me this Luna. Now that I know, I can avoid that area in the future, as well as warn other monsters.” Papyrus squeezed my hands hard enough to cause the water bottle to crinkle. He was smiling softly when I looked back to his face. He nodded decisively, giving my hands one last squeeze before letting them go. “Now. Let’s Finish Our Run, We Have Wasted Enough Time Here.”

I followed him as he stood to leave, disposing of our drinks in the recycling bins. Once we are out on the sidewalk again, Papyrus’s smile spread into a mischievous grin.

“I, The Great Papyrus, Challenge You To A Race!” Papyrus struck a pose, both hands on his hips, his chest puffed out dramatically. “We Shall See Who Can Make It Home First!”

A gleeful grin spread across my face, the giddy energy from this morning returning in full force.

“Bring it on bone boy!” I bolt, laughing as Papyrus made a sound of outrage, shouting that I was cheating as he moved to follow me. His laughter joined mine. This was a wonderful day.

~~~

Papyrus had beat me by a few paces, reaching our apartment building a few seconds before me. I had really enjoyed the rest of the run; it was exhilarating to chase after the long-legged skeleton. I had jumped into the shower after I bid Papyrus farewell at our apartment doors, quickly washing off and changing into a comfortable mint green sundress that showed off my tattoo-covered skin, causing the black of the ink to really pop.

Getting normal groceries was relatively easy and I was done before lunch, but the line to the blood bank was ridiculously long for a Sunday afternoon. It seemed to go on forever and by the time I returned to my apartment to put away my groceries it was closer to dinner time than I had expected. I quickly put everything away and changed into a pair of jeans and a tank top covered in paint splatters, covering it all with my riding leathers, grabbing my keys and wallet. I needed to leave quickly if I was to be on time.

I parked my bike outside Grillby’s and stored my leathers in my saddle bags at 5 on the dot and walked through the front door a few moments later. It didn’t take long to spot the blue hoodie in the dim light of the bar. Sans had taken up residence in a booth in the far back, a good distance from the other patrons. He was facing the door, waiting for me as he drank lazily from a ketchup bottle. I repressed a shudder, that had to taste disgusting. But to each their own, I guess.

Sans half waved at me as I made my way to the booth. Grillby nodded at me in greetings as I passed by the bar which I returned with a smile. I slid carefully into the booth, opposite of Sans.

“Hey neighbor.” I say softly once I am settled in the middle of the booth.

“hey neighbor.” Sans takes a long drink from the ketchup bottle, before setting it down on the table. “so paps said you guys had a good run this morning, that’s good.”

“Yeah, I really enjoyed it. Your brother has a lot of energy.” I grin at the skeleton across from me, remembering my run from this morning. Sans is watching me curiously. I open my mouth to say something else but am interrupted by Grillby setting down my usual food and drink along with a plain burger for Sans. Sans must have ordered before I got here and told Grillby that I was on my way. “Thanks.”

Grillby smiles and nods before returning to the bar. I reach for my drink to take a sip, Sans still watching me. It seemed like he was trying to sort through his thoughts, so I watched back over the rim of my glass, waiting for him to speak first.

“so…i’m…uh going to cut to the chase.” Sans sighed and rubbed at the back of his skull before leaning forward. I raised an eyebrow at him and set my drink down onto the table.

“Ok. Shoot.” I remain relaxed, feeling no ill intent from the skeleton in front of me who seemed both nervous and excited to ask the question on the tip of his teeth.

“you’re not a human, are you?” Sans spoke in a low voice, as if worried of being overheard. I blinked at him for a moment, not quite the question I was thought he was going to ask but not unexpected.

“Nope. Never claimed to be.” I answer casually. Sans blinked at me in stunned silence. I don’t think he had expected me to answer so bluntly, I fight back a smirk and sip my drink to give him time to recover.

“but you look human.” Sans frowned, clearly puzzled.

“Well that’s kinda the point.” I lean back into the booth, taking my glass with me. Sans waived his hand in a circular, signaling for me to explain. I decide to throw him a bone. Heh. “Ok so let’s start with this. Have you heard of the monsters who were left aboveground after the war?”

“probably have but refresh my memory.” Sans rested his forearms on the table, leaning forward with interest.

“Well as you know, there were many genera of monster that lived in the underground. Though each genus had small numbers due to being trapped there for so long, there is still a large variety. Correct?” I pause and wait for Sans to nod. “Before the monsters were sealed in the underground there were even more varieties of monsters.”

I pause to collect my thoughts and sip on my drink some more.

“When humans sealed monsters away toward the end of the war, they missed some. A large portion of monster kind was sealed away, but there were monsters that were able to blend in with humankind and hide away in plain sight. They used their magic to trick the senses and make humans perceive them as one of their own. There were some who couldn’t do this because their appearances were too inhuman to hide but still managed to avoid being sealed away, slipping off into the wilderness and dropping off the map. Following me so far?” I crossed my right leg over my left comfortably, still watching Sans as he processed what I just said.

“you said we were sealed toward the end of the war.” Sans frowned down at his plate, picking up a french fry. “i though the war ended when we were sealed away.”

“For you, the war ended. For the monsters left aboveground, the war didn’t end for almost another hundred years after you guys were sealed away.” I let that sink in for a moment. “It took another hundred years before the remaining monsters reached the point where they couldn’t fight anymore and scattered to the wind. They fought hard, but eventually the need to survive and carry on won out and those who remained faded into history until the barrier was broken. When the monsters emerged from the underground, the monsters left behind jumped at the chance to come out of hiding and join their own kind.”

“and where are you in all this?” Sans rumbles softly as he finally picks up his burger, eye lights boring into me.

“Well I am not one of the Fallen.” I sip at my drink once more, waiting to eat my burger once my stomach had settled. Though monster food was a lot easier on my system I still struggled with eating solids when my stomach was completely empty. That and talking about the war in any capacity never failed to make me queasy. Sans pauses with his burger halfway to his mouth before he frowns, returning it to the plate.

“fallen?” Sans tilts head to the side in confusion.

“That’s what we called the monsters who were sealed underground.” I frown slightly. “The monsters who were left outside the barrier had no idea whether those who were sealed were dead or what really had happened to them. So, to us you were fallen comrades. Though now that I think about it, fallen does have a double meaning. But we didn’t know whether those who were underground had fallen down or not, so the name kind of stuck.”

“so you were one of the monsters left behind?” Sans finally takes a bite of his burger.

“Not technically, my parents and grandfather were. I was born after you guys were stuck underground.” I pick at my burger, deciding to grab a pickle that was hanging off the side. I pop it into my mouth and begin to chew on it. When my stomach didn’t revolt at the new addition, I picked up my burger to take a small bite. We both sat quietly for a moment, Sans deep in thought and I slowly picking at my burger.

“what type of monster are you? you know me and pap are skeletons. it’s only fair that we know what you are.” Sans finally breaks the silence. I laugh softly.

“Sans, everyone knows you are a skeleton.” I snicker at the deadpan look he gave me. “Oh alright, I am a vampire. And before you say anything, humans got it wrong on so many levels.”

Sans raises his brow bones in surprise, a ketchup covered fry stopped halfway to his mouth. After a moment he pops the fry into his mouth and chews thoughtfully.

“i’ve read about your kind in the underground, we had some books in the library back home. never thought i’d meet a vampire in person. thought they went extinct.” Sans stares at me as if he is trying to see something that wasn’t there. “but you don’t look anything like the books said.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s like I said before, that’s kinda the point. I look human on purpose. It makes life a lot easier.” I pick up a lock of my hair, inspecting it in the dim light of the bar. “This is my natural hair color; my eyes are normally this color as well. I use my magic to create a glamour, making my features more human-like.”

“i thought your eyes were a little odd.”

“Well I find your eyes breath taking.” Grillby leans over to take my empty glass and replace it with a fresh drink. I laugh and grin at him as he winks before turning to fix Sans with a look I can’t see. He turns and strides away, empty glass in hand. I laugh harder when I see the gob smacked expression on Sans’s face.

“To be honest I am shocked you didn’t figure it out quicker.” My laughter tapers of into small fits of giggles as Sans turns his attention back to me.

“figure what out?” Sans looks genuinely confused for a second.

“That I wasn’t human. Grillby knew from day one, most other monsters do. At least here on the surface.” I bring my hand up to my chin thoughtfully.

“you look extremely human, how was i supposed to know? especially when we first met.” Sans almost sounds defensive.

“Your instincts should have told you when I first came to visit. I knew you guys were monsters just by your boxes.” I pick up my fresh drink to take a sip but pause. “Maybe you guys didn’t need to use them that much in the underground.”

“wait how’d you know before you even saw us?” Sans sounds incredulous. I tap the end of my nose as I set my glass back down on the table.

“Instincts.” When he looks even more confused, I chuckle. “I could smell you.”

“smell us? i know i’m lazy but i don’t stink-“ A look of understanding suddenly spreads across Sans’s face. “oh…Oh. our scent!”

I grin and nod leaning forward.

“My scent is the one thing my glamour can never hide. It’s a dead giveaway, so I was really surprised when Papyrus called me human. Up here on the surface instincts are everything, if you don’t use them, you’re dead.” I pick my burger back up to eat some more.

“well i guess we didn’t use them that much underground. or at least not as consciously and as much as you do up here.” Sans stares at his plate thoughtfully. “never really needed to. i had a hunch you were different and didn’t really put it together until the other day why you seemed so different. i guess it was my instincts picking it up and i didn’t know it until by brain caught up.”

“That’s why they are instincts, they don’t require thought. You just have to know how to use them and understand what they are saying. From what Grillby has told me, I guess I am not too surprised that you didn’t rely on them as much as we do up here.” I reach across the table and steal a fry off of Sans’s plate. His skull jerks up when I do, I grin widely at him before taking a bite of it. He looks like he is about to say something, but his eye lights follow my bare arm intently.

“what are those things on your arms anyways?” Sans gestures to my arm with a french fry.

“What, these?” I touch the black ink on my left arm. Sans nods. “They are tattoos, a mixture of ink and my magic placed in my skin.”

“your magic?” Sans’s eye lights expanded as he studied the ink on my arms. I hold an arm out, stretching it across the table to see he can look closer. Having so many tattoos in plain site made me used to people’s interest in them so I wasn’t bothered as he leaned over my arm to inspect them.

“Yeah, if I don’t infuse my magic into the ink before it is used then my body will reject it and the tattoo will be gone completely in a week.” I smile kindly when Sans hovers a bony hand over mine, glancing to me with a question in his eye lights. “You can touch them if you want.”

I was fascinated with how warm his bones felt against my skin as he lightly traced the tattoos on my knuckles. Tentatively, Sans picks up my hand to bring it closer and trace the tattoos on my write with rapt attention. I could feel the tickle of the magic in the ink sparking slightly at the contact. Interesting.

“do you have more tattoos elsewhere?” Sans murmured distractedly, still lightly mapping the ink on my hands. I smirk mischievously at the skeleton across from me.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Sans’s skull snaps up and I wink at him. He drops my hand as if it burned him, seeming to realize what he just said. I laugh as his skull flushes deep cyan and he looks away from me. I pick up my drink with he hand he had been looking at and take a drink, unable to stop smirking at the blushing skeleton. After a moment he cleared his nonexistent throat, recovering from his embarrassment.

“so, if this isn’t what you normally look like, then how do you normally look?” The curiosity was back in his eye lights. The color fading from his face as he polishes off the last of his fries.

“Nope.” I giggle as Sans quirks a brow bone at me. “Gotta know each other better first. I have the glamour for a reason, it’d be useless if I went around showing just anyone.”

Sans opens his mouth to answer but is interrupted when his phone chimes. He pulls it out of his hoodie, swiping it open to check to notification. I use this time to check my phone as well. Damn it had gotten late. I glance down at my plate. I had eaten more than half of my burger, a win in my book.

“that was pap, making sure i am ok. didn’t realize how late it is.” Sans sighs before pocketing his phone again.

“Me either. I have to open the bakery tomorrow.” I wave Grillby over to pay for my dinner. “I guess we will have to call it here.” 

“yeah. got work tomorrow too.” Sans slips out of the booth as I move to say goodbye to Grillby, hugging him as I always do. I don’t notice Sans watching us intently as I pull away and make sure I have my wallet and everything. Sans half waves in farewell and follows me out the door. “you drive here?”

“Yeah. Need a ride back?” I walk over to my bike and pull my leathers free from the saddle bags. Sans eyes my bike curiously.

“nah. not tonight, ‘sides i know a shortcut.” Sans shrugs off my questioning look and I scoop up my helmet and pull it over my head. “see ya later luna. i had a nice night. thanks for being so honest with me.”

“No problem.” I grin at him as I slip on my riding gloves. “I had a nice night too; you are fun to talk to. Tell Papyrus that I enjoyed our run today. Stay safe heading home.”

“i will. goodnight luna.” Sans waves at me as I settle on my bike.

“Goodnight Sans.” As I push my visor down, I feel a crackle of magic next to me and Sans is gone. I blink for a moment, watching the sparking blue magic fizzle into nothingness where he stood. A hiss slides between my teeth when my soul twinges suddenly and painfully in my chest. I frown and lightly touch my sternum, had it suddenly gotten worse or did it just return? Did I feel it at all today or have I gotten that good at ignoring it when I get busy?

I hummed in thought as I kicked my bike to life, something to think about later when I had some time to really mull it over. The drive home was peaceful and the apartment building silent as I made my way up the stairs to my floor. I pause at my door as I unlock it, glancing at the door next to it for a few moments before I shake my head to clear it, pushing into my apartment. I quietly settle in for the night, letting my glamour dissipate as change into pajamas and burrow into my nest of blankets.

It had been a good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed a small glimpse into Luna's past and a bit of history. I'm sorry if it was kind of long.   
> Have a great week everyone! :)


	8. Fishy Woman

Monday, about a week later, found me sitting in the decorating room once more. Symphonic metal poured from my speakers as I worked carefully on a two-tiered cake for a golden wedding anniversary. I meticulously piped on gold embellishments onto the sides of a white cake, looking somewhat like gold crown molding that belonged in castles. Humming along with the music I let my mind wonder as my hands kept working.

Sans had been texting me throughout the last week, mostly sending me puns whenever he was on break at work or bored. I joked back at him when I had the time, sending him a few of my own jokes here and there, getting a laugh from his reactions. He and Papyrus had visited the bakery multiple times, Papyrus usually in the morning after his run for some tea and breakfast and Sans usually around lunch time for some coffee and a snack. He claimed the coffee they had at work was dreadful and his mind was turning to jello from staring at the same four walls for too long.

I couldn’t fault him there, having been trapped in the decorating room a majority of the time as more cake orders filed in. I took the time to take a break when they came in, usually sitting and talking with them for a little bit out in the café. It was nice to sit and talk with someone for a little bit, even if it was as mundane as talking about the weather or state of the world. Though Papyrus had been oddly quiet when he came in, seeming to be lost in thought but politely responding to the small talk none the less.

Grillby usually stopped by and hung out with me in the decorating room for as long as he could without melting the icing. He knew this was a busy time of year for me, that and I think he was just trying to make sure I was still taking care of myself. Sure, I hadn’t eaten much this week, but it was hard to when I spent most of my waking hours in the bakery. It wasn’t sanitary to keep blood in the bakery, so it stayed at home. Grillby had tried to coax me into leaving the bakery for lunch a few times, but I was way too busy. I promised him I would eat when I got home.

Pausing to rotate the cake on the stand, I lean back with the piping bag on my shoulder. I was halfway done with the base designs and cold start adding the premade flowers when I was finish. So far so good. I glance around the work bench to make sure I had what I needed to finish the cake within reach, minus the flowers that were still in the refrigerator. Frowning I notice that I was missing the gold leaf I was going to use for the final detailing. I thought I had put it on the bench this morning. Standing, I put down the piping bag in an empty bowl and begin to look around the room, it had to be in here somewhere.

“Hey Boss Lady!” Tony walked in as I ducked to search in the cabinets under the work bench for my missing supplies. I made a noise of acknowledgment as moved around various decorating tools. It was here I just knew it. “Whatcha looking for?”

“Didn’t we have gold leaf? I could have sworn I had it this morning.” I was shoulders deep in a cabinet, having clicked on the little battery powered light that was attached to the inside. I was finding a lot of different molds, tips for piping bags, bags of candy melts, piping bags, but no gold leaf. “Well where did it go?”

“I think you had the silver this morning, not the gold. If it isn’t there, I can check the supply closet. We may have used the last of it on that cake last weekend.” Tony’s voice came from across the room as he joined the search as well. I could hear him opening and closing drawers. He was right I did have the silver this morning and must have thought it was the gold. “By the way, there is a skeleton out front asking for you. He had someone with him.”

“Someone with him?” My voice echoed within in the cabinet as I leaned farther in, my whole torso now in the depths of the cabinet. I was going to find that gold leaf.

“Yeah, another monster. He said they needed to talk to you.” He sounded more muffled, as if he were also shoulder deep in a cabinet across the room.

“Oh. Well then bring them back here, I can talk to them in here. I have got to finish this cake. The Worthfords will be here to pick it up at three and I still have a lot left to finish.” I climb back out of the cabinet and onto my feet. Glancing around the room I couldn’t see the item I had been searching for anywhere. Had I used it all on the last project?

Tony straightens up from the drawer he had been searching, shrugging his shoulders. He couldn’t find it either.

“Alright Boss Lady. I will go get them and bring them back, you get back to work. The gold leaf has got to be here somewhere.” Tony salutes me and heads for the door. With an exasperated sigh I settle back on my stool and reach for the piping bag.

A few moments later the door opened again as Tony walked in with Papyrus and another monster I had never seen before following him. I sat back, letting the bag rest on my shoulder and swiveled on my stool to greet them. Behind Papyrus stood a tall fish monster. She wore a bright red tank top and a pair of black work out pants paired with high top sneakers. Her blue scales glistened in the white lights of the decorating room; one eye covered by a black eye patch. She had bright red hair pulled up into a high ponytail. The two of them look like they just came from an intense work out, Papyrus dressed like he did when we went running.

“Good morning Papyrus.” I grin at the tall skeleton as they make their way over to the work bench. The fish woman eyeing me suspiciously.

“I’ll leave you too it Boss Lady. I’m going to check storage for the gold leaf, I think I remember putting some back there.” Tony mock salutes before he leaves, closing the door behind him.

“Good Morning Miss Luna.” I wince as the fish woman’s head whips around so fast, I am worried that she might have injured herself. Her single yellow eye bulging at Papyrus’s lowered volume. “This Is My Friend Undyne! I Brought Her Here So She Can See The Bakery, She Is Getting Married And They Need A Cake!”

“It is nice to finally meet you Undyne. Papyrus speaks very highly of you.” I smile at the monster before me. “I’m Luna, and this is my bakery. I’d shake your hand, but I am currently covered in icing.”

I laugh softly and hold up my hands that were covered in gold icing. Undyne studies me for a moment before rounding on Papyrus angrily, her razor-sharp teeth bared aggressively. The smile immediately drops from my lips as I subtly shift so I had both feet resting on the ground rather than the rungs of my stool.

“I thought you said this was a monster owned busines!” Undyne ground through her teeth. Papyrus immediately put up his hands placatingly, he opens his mouth to respond but she cuts him off, her voice raising considerably. “We’ll never be able to get a cake at this rate! Me and Alphys are running out of time!”

“He wasn’t lying. This is a monster owned business.” Both monsters turn to face me. I meet Undyne’s eye steadily, holding my ground. The smell of salt water and dead fish fills the room at her displeasure, trying to staunch out my own scent along with the soft smell of Papyrus. “I may not really look like it now, but I am a monster, you can see my ID if you need to. I’m government registered just like the two of you.”

Undyne glares at me for a moment before holding her hand out expectantly. Papyrus is watching us cautiously, standing slightly between me and Undyne. I simply move the piping bag off my shoulder and grab a towel off the stool next to me and start wiping down my hands. I take my time cleaning of my hands and then my arms, not caring that Undyne is starting to grow impatient. I wasn’t about to hurry for a monster that thought she could come into my place of business and yell at someone I considered a friend. She could wait.

Once my arms are thoroughly clean, I stand up from my stool and walk over to where my phone sat on the counter. I take the time to slide open the little slot in my phone case and pull out my ID. Once I found it, I walked over to Undyne and hold it out for her to take. When she tries to snatch it out of my hand, I tighten my grip causing both of our hands to jerk up with the force that she tried to take it. I keep a steady hold on the card, my eyes not moving from Undyne’s. Papyrus’s bones rattle next to me, out of nervousness or what I am not sure.

The silent power struggle lasts for a few moments more, I could feel Papyrus watching us both with growing concern. Finally, Undyne lessens her pull on the card and I let go so she can gently pull it to her person to inspect. I watch her read over the ID, glancing from the card to me and back multiple times. I knew the picture on the ID mirrored how I looked now but listed my race and species along with my birthdate and address. They had let me keep my glamour for my picture considering it was how I appeared about 90% of the time.

Finally, Undyne returned the card to me and I walked back to the counter to put it away. The smell of saltwater and dead fish shifted to saltwater and geranium and lessened in intensity. Papyrus shifted as I walked back to settle on my stool once more, unsure if everything was ok.

“Never met a vampire before. Sorry bout that.” Undyne scratches the back of her head as she looks away from me, clearly having enough humility to admit she was wrong.

“It’s fine, I am used to it. Usually people are mad when they find out a monster owns the place, not that they think I am not a monster.” I snicker at the irony. “So how can I help you?”

I motion for them to sit on the two free stools. Papyrus moves his to sit on my left and Undyne sits in the one directly in front of me. I glance over at the skeleton to see that he was starting to relax once more. I offer him a soft smile which he returns.

“Well…. I’m getting married in about a month and a half and we haven’t found a place to make the cake yet.” Undyne sighs, clearly frustrated with the situation. “Muffet doesn’t do wedding cakes and none of the human bakeries will do a monster wedding cake. Papyrus said this place was owned by a monster and we should ask if you could do it.”

“I will do a cake for anyone who orders one as long as I am able. We can only take on so many orders at once.” I lean sideways against the work bench with my arm resting on the top of it. “I can set you up for an appointment, I think we have an opening at the end of the week. You and your fiancé can come in, taste the cake flavors we have, look at possible designs, and decide if you want a cake from her.”

“That easy?” Undyne’s single yellow eye widens in surprise.

“That easy. What time would be good for you both to come in?” I grin encouragingly at the fish monster. She looks thoughtful and pulls out her cell phone and taps at it a few times.

“I will have to ask Alphys, I am free all day.” Undyne frowns down at her phone. Tony opens the door to the decorating room.

“Found it! It was in the storage room.” Tony walks over to place the package onto the work bench.

“Thank you, Tony. Undyne this is my assistant decorator.” I motion Tony toward Undyne. “Tony, this is Undyne. She needs to set up an appointment for Friday or Saturday, which ever works for her and her fiancé. If you could got set that up with her, that would be awesome.”

“Sure thing Boss Lady! It is a pleasure to meet you Undyne, how about you call your other half and we can set you up with an appointment.” Tony holds out his hand to shake hers. Undyne takes his hand and shakes it. She stands up from the stool. “Right this way.”

Undyne pauses and looks back to Papyrus with a question in her eyes as Tony moves to the door.

“If It Is Ok, I Would Like To Stay And Talk With Miss Luna. Will You Be Ok Heading Back Without Me?” Papyrus looks to me and I nod. I don’t mind the company and I still had to finish the cake I was working on.

“Of course! You knuckle head! See you later!” Undyne grins and waves goodbye before following Tony back out of the room. I wave goodbye with Papyrus as he gets up to move the stool so it will be on my right when I face the work bench again.

I swivel to face the cake once the door shut again, Papyrus settling next to me on his stool.

“How are you today Papyrus?” I reach for the piping bag so I can start working on the cake again. 

“I Am Well, I Was Training With Undyne Today.” Papyrus watches as I begin to pipe the designs on the cake. He seems to have something on his mind, so I remain quiet as I work, patiently waiting for him to talk.

We sit quietly for a bit as I work, carefully rotating the cake as I progress.

“Sans Told Me That You Weren’t Human. I Hope That It Was Ok That I Told Undyne. She Really Needed To Find Somewhere To Make Their Cake And She Refused To Go To Another Human Bakery After The Last One Turned Her Down. I Really Wanted To Help Them Out.” Papyrus wrings his hands nervously. I pause my work and look at the skeleton next to me, he won’t look directly at me, so I reach out and place my cleaner hand on his shoulder.

“It’s all good Papyrus. I may not advertise that I am a monster, but I am not against other monsters knowing what I am. Besides, why would I be upset? You brought me a new customer.” I say softly, smiling reassuringly. Papyrus seems to sigh in relief and returns the smile. I remove my hand and return to work. A comfortable silence settles over us, the only sound being my music coming from my speaker.

“Sans Said You Two Talked About Instincts.” Papyrus watches as I grab a full bag, picking out the right tip and twisting it on the end and starting again. I settle back into my work, listening to Papyrus talk. “Could You Explain It To Me? Sans Tried But He Didn’t Do A Very Good Job.”

“What are you confused about?” I hum softly, rotating the cake once more.

“Sans Said We Don’t Really Have Any.” Papyrus sounds slightly dejected and I frown and look at him to see him wringing his hands. “But The Book I Got From The Library Said That All Monsters Have Instincts. So Why Don’t We?”

“You have instincts Papyrus, both of you do. The book you read wasn’t wrong.” I stop piping to change out to a finer piping tip. “My guess is that you either never had to rely on them in the underground or you were not taught how to use them and recognize what they are. But you do have them, every monster does. Heck every living thing has instincts in some form or another. Just certain creatures rely on their instincts more than others. They are like a muscle, the more you use them, the stronger they are.”

“What Would Be Considered An Instinct?” Papyrus inquires, sounded less put out than he had before.

“An instinct can be anything from a feeling you get from a situation, like a hunch. To a reaction that doesn’t require a conscious thought. A push to do certain things even if they don’t really make sense to your brain at the time. Things like that.” I purse my lips in thought as I adjust the cake on the stand. “Monsters are very instinctual creatures; we use them to survive. Instincts can dictate a lot of our actions.”

“So, Like If Someone Does Something And You Have The Urge To Act A Certain Way In Response, Even If You Don’t Know Why You Would Act That Way?” Papyrus frowns, trying to connect the dots.

“Kind of, yeah. But usually you don’t ignore that urge to act. Instincts are there to help you and you feel that urge for a reason.” I stop and put down the piping bag, a thought coming to me. “Here let me try something. I want you to react, don’t try to think about it, don’t stop yourself from what ever reaction you have. Ok?”

“Ok?” Papyrus looks unsure but nods regardless. He is getting there but I feel like he needs an example to truly understand.

“Someone is going to kill Sans. Right now.” I stare Papyrus directly into his eye lights. My voice is hard and threatening. The two of them are close, they would most definitely would react to either of them being threatened.

Papyrus pauses, almost as if he is about to stop himself before a deep guttural growl reverberates from his ribcage and around the room. The smell of citrus sharpens considerably, magnifying in the room. His eye lights snuff out momentarily and I hold my ground as his hands clench violently in his lap.

The moment is broken when I let out a low, impressed whistle and Papyrus realizes what he had just done. His eye lights return, wider than they were beforehand. Orange magic flushes over his cheek bones as he ducks his head into his hands.

“I Am So Sorry Miss Luna! I Didn’t Mean To Do That! I-“ Papyrus exclaims, his voice higher and distressed.

“Don’t be sorry.” I grin at the skeleton in front of me, reaching out to pat his shoulder. “That was really impressive.”

“Impressive?” Papyrus’s sounds thoroughly confused but doesn’t remove his head from his hands, still glowing orange.

“Hell yeah! That growl was very impressive from someone who isn’t used to making that kind of sound.” I laugh, grinning wider. It had vibrated my chest some with the force it made. His scent softens some, becoming less sharp. “That was an instinctual reaction to a threat to someone who you care about, it was completely natural. I would be concerned if you hadn’t reacted at all.”

“You’re Not Mad? Or Scared Of Me?” Papyrus finally looks up, orange staining his cheek bones. He seems mortified by his own reaction.

“No, why would I be mad?” I chuckle, shaking my head. “I not only told you to react without thinking but I am the one who said it. I have no place to get mad. As for scared? Papyrus it takes a lot more than that to scare me. Besides, it isn’t good to ignore your instincts.”

“It’s Bad?” Papyrus tilts his head to the side, the blush starting to slowly fade from his bones. I shake my head, my soul clenching at the thought of Papyrus fighting something so integral to a monster’s being. I watch as he sighs and looks down at his hands that returned to rest in his lap. “So All These Things I Have Been Feeling, And How I Have Wanted To Act But Haven’t Is All Natural For Monsters?”

“Yes, as natural as breathing. Have you been repressing yourself Papyrus?” I frown, concerned now. He had all the instincts he was supposed to have, but had he been ignoring them all this time? That wasn’t healthy. “What’s going on Papyrus? You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to. I’m just concerned.”

“It Is Just So Much To Take In.” Papyrus murmurs softly, still frowning down at his hands. “I Just Need To Think About It All. Thank You For Answering My Questions Miss Luna.”

“Just Luna, Papyrus. You don’t have to call me miss.” I am still concerned but I let it slide. He doesn’t have to tell me if he isn’t comfortable with it. I reach for my piping bag again and turn to start back up where I left off. “You can ask questions any time, I don’t mind at all.”

“Luna…Is It Ok If I Stay Here And Watch You Work?” Papyrus looks up to watch me, hopeful.

“Sure, I like the company.” I smile at him as I turn the cake some. Papyrus returns with a grin of his own. He watches me as I work, asking questions occasionally when something confuses him, and occasionally praising how the cake looks. Music plays quietly in the background, only interrupted by our quiet conversation. The tension slowly leaving the room.

We spend the rest of the day in the same way. Even when I finish the cake and the order is picked up, we return to the room as I begin the prep work for the next order. Papyrus leaves briefly to get lunch from Grillby’s when I suggest he eats. I know he usually doesn’t eat there but he agrees to give it a try. He returns with his own food as well as a to go cup for me that Grillby had sent with him. He doesn’t ask what is in the cup and I don’t offer to tell him, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere we had created. I didn’t want to make it awkward with my dietary habits.

The day continued until I had to stop working and close up shop. Papyrus offers to walk me home as I lock up for the day and I accept his offer, having walked to work this morning. We walk in comfortable silence, me watching the streets around us and Papyrus lost in his thoughts. A quiet goodbye is bid as we move to our separate apartment doors, my soul tugging in my chest as we go our separate ways. I go to sleep with a lot on my mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot to think about. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! 
> 
> Next chapter we get a glimpse into the life and mind of Papyrus. 
> 
> Have a great week! :)


	9. That's Rude...Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up this chapter is completely from Papyrus's point of view. And it is a long one. It takes place during chapters 7 and 8.
> 
> I really hope you guys like it!

~Papyrus~

I jogged down the flights of stairs of the apartment building, full of nervous energy. Today was the day I was going on my friendship run with Miss Luna. I was anxious, I hoped the route we took would be fine for her, and that I would be able to go slow enough so that she wouldn’t get too tired or hurt herself. Even though I have a hunch that she wasn’t quite what she seemed, I couldn’t quite place my finger on what that was exactly. That alone made me nervous.

I didn’t know how to treat our quiet neighbor; she seemed to always surprise me and keep me on my toes. She seemed to be a very kind being and had a very interesting way of approaching life. If she were another monster or a human, I wouldn’t have that much of a problem figuring out how to act. The fact that she looked very human but smelled like a monster confused my senses and I couldn’t quite settle on how to treat her.

My bones rattled nervously as I reached the front entrance of the apartment building, seeing Miss Luna standing out front, rocking onto the balls of her feet. She wore black pants and a green shirt. The black markings on her arms stood out against the pop of color. I had learned after searching the internet that they were called tattoos. A lot of humans had them, but I had yet to see any that looked quite like hers. I paused behind the door to study her for a moment. She looked excited, her amethyst eyes sparkling with anticipation.

I took this private moment to really look at her face without anyone there to watch me. It felt a little wrong to watch her without her knowing, but I never really got the chance to study her like I wanted, too many people were around, and staring was very rude. She had soft, large doe eyes. Her skin was smooth and pale, clear of any markings or scars and her heart-shaped face looked soft and slightly rounded. A smile twitched to life as she continued to rock back and forth on the balls of her feet. She had a soft athletic build, but I couldn’t quite tell how strong she was, I needed to actually touch her to check her stats like I would with a monster. Humans didn’t check each other’s stats, so I had refrained up until this point, so I didn’t seem rude.

Taking a deep breath, I finally threw on my signature grin and bounded out of the apartment and onto the sidewalk. Everything about her physically spoke of human origins, but the sweet smell of peaches and honey dew that enveloped my senses and the thrumming of my soul said otherwise. The grin nearly slipped as I wanted to frown in confusion, but I forced it to stay as I exuberantly greeted her.

“Good Morning Miss Luna!” I was surprised how easy it had become to lower my voice when I was around her. It was actually easier to talk this way rather than my usual yelling, not as straining as constantly using my magic to amplify and heighten the tone of my voice.

“Good morning.” Miss Luna grinned up at me, finally stilling but seeming to still vibrate with energy. This made me feel better about the route I had chosen; she should be fine with the distance. Now to figure out the pacing. “Are you ready for our run?”

“The Great Papyrus Is Always Ready! Nyeh Heh Heh!” I pulled out my favorite superhero pose, pumping my fist in the air. When her smile grew, I felt a little giddy. Good she liked the pose. “I Am Sure You Have Already Stretched Adequately? It Would Be Bad If You Were To Hurt Yourself.”

“Way ahead of you.” She chuckles as she resumes the rocking she had been doing before I came out. I glance down and watch her calf muscles for a moment, checking to see if they were hitching or straining. She moved fluidly without any problem. Good. “So, do you have a route in mind?”

“Oh Yes! I Mapped It Out Last Night And Memorized The Path This Morning. It Should Be Sufficient For Our First Run!” I pull out my phone but don’t let her see the map, I wanted it to be a surprise. Hopefully she would like it.

“Well lead the way my friend.” My soul leaps happily, she thought of us as friends already. She motions for me to get started.

“Nyeh Heh! I Shall!” I start to move at a rather slow jog, purposely shorting my naturally long stride. This should be an easy warm up since her legs were much shorter than my own. I had looked up everything I needed to know about running for humans to avoid hurting or offending my new friend.

I kept an eye on her as she jogged next to me, easily keeping up with my pace. Once I was sure she was warmed up, I started to jog a little faster, a close run for my companion, keeping the route I had chosen accurately. She let me lead, which I didn’t mind, and the silence was nice. For once I didn’t feel like I needed to talk and try to keep everything lively. It was very nice.

“So.” I glanced down when I heard Miss Luna speak next to me. I waited for her to continue. “I thought we were going for a run?”

“We Are Running.” I frown down at her in confusion. At least she was running, one of my strides easily equaling two or more of her own. I didn’t point this out, not wanting to offend her.

“I don’t know what your definition of running is, but this isn’t mine.” Miss Luna huffs, her mouth pulling into an almost petulant pout. It was kind of cute, not that I said that aloud. She almost seemed to vibrate with energy, as if she was just barely holding back. I must be frustrating her. I almost chuckle, but hold it in.

“Your Legs Are Much Shorter Than Mine Miss Luna. I Don’t Want You To Hurt Yourself.” My is voice calm, and when I see her eyes violently roll in their sockets I almost snicker. I do my best to keep my face neutral as I speak again. “Besides Humans Cannot Keep Up With Monsters And This Is Supposed To Be A Friendly Run. I Would Hate To Exhaust You.”

I know it isn’t polite to tease a new friend, but her reaction makes it worth it. She almost stumbles her stride and I can see her fists clench momentarily. I knew I struck a chord, though I almost couldn’t bring myself to care. I felt like being a little daring, felt like letting the Great Papyrus slip away, her reaction was so cute.

“Oh I wouldn’t worry about that.” She chuckles but I can tell she is biting her tongue to keep from saying something else. “I am a lot more durable than that. We can pick up the pace. I will live.”

“Are You Sure?” I look back to my running companion easily weaving around a pedestrian as we pass. I was egging her on, trying to see where this was going.

“More than sure” She laughs and pulls ahead of me some. I immediately match my pacing to hers. “Trust me, I will tell you if I can’t keep up.”

“If You Say So.” I grin, challenging my new friend. I feel a giddy energy as I let my self suddenly speed up to a more natural run for myself. I watch as she surges to keep up with me, grinning wider as she works her shorter legs twice as hard. This was nothing for me, so right as she reaches my pace, I speed up to a sprint. Her giggles urge me forward and I feel my soul thrum happily at the challenge as she chases after me.

It was exhilarating, I keep up the fast pace, checking occasionally as she gleefully follows me. It was freeing to be able to run like this with someone else. But at the same time, it made me think more than I should on a run. I was right, very few humans could keep up with monster. It made me think that she was more monster than human.

I immediately stopped when I felt her presence disappear from beside me.

“Hey, Papyrus.” I waited for her to stop beside me. Her voice sounded strained but not as winded as I had expected. Immediately nervous energy coursed through my soul. Was she ok? “Let’s not go this way.”

“Why Not?” I frown down at her, watching her shift, nervous and uncomfortable. Her purple eyes darting around the street, as she shifted more as if she couldn’t stop moving. “This Is The Best Possible Route! I Mapped It Myself.”

Not that I was offended, I just wanted to know what was wrong.

“This isn’t a good part of town. Especially for monsters.” She looked up and down the street, fidgeting anxiously. I moved closer to her, but she didn’t seem to notice. I looked as well, trying to spy the threat, wanting to find it.

“Well Why Not? We Are Allowed To Travel Throughout The City.” I eyed her concerned, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice. I didn’t want to make her more uncomfortable, but I didn’t like the thought of not being allowed to go where I wished to. Nor was I happy with the idea of a possible threat near us.

“Allowed, yes. Welcome? No.” I watched as she turned and began to walk back the way we had just came. She was looking for something. I held back a noise of frustration as I began to follow her. She wasn’t telling me what I needed to know.

“Why Not?”

“Can I explain once we are in a different part of town? I promise I will explain but I really do no want to be here. I can lead us through the safer route.” I match her pace as she trots down an alley, seeming to know exactly where she is going. Something about the strained sound of her voice makes me want to stick close to her, to try to move her quickly away from the possible threat, but I restrain myself. It would be rude to hurry her along especially when I didn’t know where we were going.

“Well All Right, If You Insist.” I say, so she knows I wasn’t going to fight her on this, hoping to ease her discomfort. She picks up her pace and I follow carefully behind her, checking behind us periodically to see if I can see what we are running from.

Soon we stop on a sidewalk of a relatively busy street that I had been on multiple times. We were a lot closer to home now. A small café stands in front of us, monsters and humans alike milling around inside.

“We can take a break here, if that is ok?” I nod at her, deciding to remain quiet until she was ready to talk. We both get water from the cooler by the front counter and pay for it before sitting down at a table in the far corner, isolated. I carefully settle my tall frame into the smaller chair as Miss Luna sits across from me. I watch her sip from her water bottle, her shoulders hunched around her ears which were full of little metal hoops and a bar.

“What Happened Miss Luna?” I frown when I hear her sigh, she refuses to look at me. Instead choosing to stare at her water. Alright, lets try another question. “How Did You Know All Those Paths Here?”

“I have lived in this city for a while, I know most if not all the streets. There are a lot of gangs in that area. It doesn’t matter if you are human or monster. They will jump you in a heartbeat and the results aren’t pretty.” Her voice is low, and I try to keep my face blank as she glances up at me. When she looks back down, I clench my teeth. The thought of someone willing to hurt unsuspecting humans and monster sets me on edge. I feel a rumbling in my chest cavity and clench my teeth harder to subdue it. No, the thought of someone hurting anyone I knew made me furious. I swallow it down the best I can, I didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable or to act unsightly. “I didn’t mean to seem so cryptic, but it was important that we didn’t stay in that area for long. Monsters have especially large targets on their backs. You get more clout in the gang world if you score a monster hit. I didn’t want targets on our backs.”

All my fury immediately abates as I look down at Miss Luna. She sounded so quiet as she fidgeted, not from nerves I realize but from stress. My soul clenches as I realize she knows all this from personal experience, confirming, though in the way that I hadn’t wanted to, that she must be a monster of some kind. Without thinking, just wishing to comfort her in any way I could, I reach out and wrap my hands around her smaller, tattooed covered ones.

She slowly looks up from our hands and into my eyes. For a moment I am swallowed by amethyst and the soft unsure scent of peaches and honey dew. I hated that she knew all this, that she had to learn, and was now warning me, trying to protect me. I squeeze her hands softly.

“You know this from experience. Don’t you?” I murmur softly, not wanting to speak too loudly, letting my voice rumble soothingly in my rib cage. After a little bit she nods and looks back down at our hands. I begin to trace the tattoos beneath my thumbs, I feel magic spark up to meet my own. It feels nice, tickling my fingertips slightly. I let some of my own magic flow out to meet it, holding back a noise at the sensation of it crackling in response.

We sit for a good bit of time, neither of us bothering to move our hands. I don’t care if it doesn’t seem appropriate to hold a friend’s hands in this manner. I just allow myself to keep tracing her tattoos as we soak up the silence. I watch her as she stares at our hands, watching the tension slowly seep out of her shoulders, her face relaxing. Once she has relaxed completely, I speak once more. Just as quiet as before.

“Thank you for telling me this Luna. Now that I know, I can avoid that area in the future, as well as warn other monsters.” I squeeze my hands hard, causing the water bottle to crinkle. Yes, I will warn others, but somewhere deep inside me wants to go back. To go find the people responsible for causing so much anxiety in my friend. But I don’t, I push a soft smile onto my face as she looks back to me. Ok. Enough of this. I want to go back to how it was before. I want to see that gleam return to those eyes. I squeeze her hands one more time and let go, the magic chasing mine momentarily before dying out. I raise my voice again, back to the appropriate volume, adding a little extra energy, trying to bring her good mood back. “Now. Let’s Finish Our Run, We Have Wasted Enough Time Here.”

Miss Luna seemed to like a challenge, that much was obvious. We moved to dispose of our water bottles. I let a grin creep onto my face as I turn to look at her out on the sidewalk. I think I knew how to rekindle that fire I had seen earlier this morning. 

“I, The Great Papyrus, Challenge You To A Race!” I puff out my chest, hands on my hip bones. I know that she would find it a little silly. I puff out my chest more, with pride when I see a grin start to form on her face. “We Shall See Who Can Make It Home First!”

Her grin widens and I see the vibrant energy from before return to her body as it almost vibrates excitedly. Good, that was the reaction I wanted.

“Bring it on bone boy!” Miss Luna bolts down the sidewalk suddenly. I yell in mock outrage, calling her a cheat as I jump to follow her. Her laughter was contagious, and I find myself laughing as well as we race back to the apartments.

~~~

I had just barely beat her back to the apartments, pushing a small amount of magic in my legs to get the small burst of speed toward the end so I could pull ahead. She didn’t seem upset as we laughed breathlessly in front of the apartment building. We parted ways with smiles as we returned to our respective apartments.

Sans was of course still asleep as I quietly entered our shared apartment. I let him sleep as I always did when he didn’t work. He would never get up in time for work if I didn’t wake him up like I did. It wasn’t that Sans slept all the time; he wasn’t as lazy as he wanted everyone to believe. He just slept at odd times when he did sleep, often awake through the night and crashing early in the morning and napping almost like a narcoleptic throughout the day. Even though I often got on to him for lazing about, I didn’t really mean it. My brother had been like this long before the resets even started, he wasn’t about to change overnight. A normal sleep schedule wasn’t for everyone.

I hummed a song I had heard in the bakery earlier in the week as I stood under the hot water of the too short shower head. Sans had told me about the resets once we had made it to the surface and he was sure that they weren’t going to continue. It made so much sense. All the Deja vu, the mixed-up memories. The feeling of more time passing than it should have. The time that had passed outside the mountain that had stumped all the monster when they had finally emerged. Sans had sat me down and told me everything, promising no more secrets now that they were finally free. I was glad, secrets drove me nuts.

I keep humming as I try to wash off the best I could, I hated how short the showers were aboveground, one day I will have a bathroom that would actually fit me. When I was finally clean, I stepped out and quickly dried my bones off. Once I was dry and dressed in clean clothes, I checked the time and went to wake Sans up.

I walked quietly into his bedroom, carefully moving around the clothes and books scattered all over the floor. I didn’t know how he could live in such a mess, but he did clean at least monthly when I asked him to. His ever-present trash tornado swirled lazily in the corner.

“Sans. Sans It Is Time To Wake Up.” I softly shake his shoulders, trying to wake him as gently as possible. I had begun to talk more quietly around Sans as well, like I did around Luna. He adapted to it quickly, which I had been worried about at first, but he didn’t seem bothered. I still kept the loud, jovial tone when I was around everyone else though, I didn’t want to make them worry something was wrong with me. The Great Papyrus had an image to uphold after all.

When Sans was finally out of bed and in the bathroom showering, I made breakfast. We went about our day as usual from there on out. Sans asked me how the run went, I told him it was a lot of fun, that I was looking forward to the next one. After breakfast Sans went back to his room to work on some paperwork for the lab and I set about cleaning up the apartment for the upcoming week.

After the apartment was thoroughly cleaned, I found myself sitting at my desk, looking through job postings, hoping to find one that appealed to me. I wasn’t having much luck and it was very frustrating.

Sans knocks on my door to tell me he is going to Grillby’s to meet up with Miss Luna. He had told me that he had asked her to dinner. I really hoped he behaved himself. Even though he thought he was being discrete; I knew he been leery of her when she came over the day after we moved in. Sans thought I hadn’t notice him testing her, trying to get her to tick, making sure she was safe. While I was glad my brother cared for me so, I was slightly offended that he hadn’t trusted my judge of character. But I had held back from scolding him after she left because he had seemed to have warmed up to her by the end of the night. I think he had even apologized before she left, if him following her out had been anything to go off of.

Sans seemed to enjoy visiting her bakery as well, even though I had had to drag him out of bed extra early that morning. Still, I was a little worried that he would make her uncomfortable or give her the third degree at dinner. Surely Grillby wouldn’t allow it, he was a gentleman after all, even if I didn’t like to spend time in his establishment. Too much grease for my taste.

I stop and let out an exasperated sigh, resting my head on the cool wood of my desk, trying to quiet my turbulent mind. It would all be fine. Sans knew how to behave; I would not lose my newest friend and hopefully my brother would have a new friend by the end of the night. Scrubbing my hand across my skull, I sit back up and return my gaze to the computer screen.

Before I knew it, it had grown rather late and Sans had yet to return. I pick up my phone to see if he had texted me. Nothing. Worry weighed down my soul as I remembered the gangs that Miss Luna had mentioned this morning. They wouldn’t stray this close to the monster part of town, would they?

I give Sans another 30 minutes before I pick up my phone again, sending him a worried text, just to make sure that everything was ok. Sans’s immediately reply made my shoulders sag with relief. He was fine and would be heading home soon.

~~~

The next week I find my feet carrying me to the door of The Black Orchid Bakery. Undyne and I had just finished our morning training. A brisk run that ended up in her kitchen, attempting to cook something that could possibly resemble food, but not at the same time. I wished she took me serious enough to actually spar and train with me seriously, but that was my own fault and I had to live in the bed I made. I knew Undyne thought I couldn’t handle the real training that the Royal Guard went through on a regular basis, so I held back and allowed it to continue. It made her feel better to train me the way she saw fit.

“MISS LUNA IS OUR NEIGHBOR AND A REALLY GOOD BAKER! I JUST KNOW SHE WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU AND ALPHYS!” I keep my voice loud and boisterous as we reach the door, trying to encourage Undyne the best I could. She was starting to stress more and more the closer she got to her and Alphys’s wedding date. They had yet to find someone to make their cake, and Undyne had been telling me during our training that she had been to eight different bakeries. Each one of the had turned her down, most on the basis of that she was a monster. I could tell that Undyne’s patience was wearing thin, she was only here because I had told her that I knew of a monster ran bakery.

“If you say so Papyrus. You better not be wrong; I am running out of time here!” Undyne growls as I open the door for her to a sight I had grown used to in the past week. I had started coming into Miss Luna’s bakery after my morning runs, ordering breakfast and taking the time to sit and talk with her when I could.

A lot had been on my mind since Sans returned from his dinner with Miss Luna. He had told me that she was a vampire, further confirming my suspicion that she wasn’t human like I had originally assumed. He had also mentioned something about instincts and for some reason that stuck in my mind. We were supposed to have instincts, right? Why didn’t we? Was something wrong with me? What were vampires like? I had gone to the monster library the next day to start looking for books that could give me answers. I hadn’t really found many and it frustrated me.

I keep the grin plastered on my face as I follow Undyne into the bakery. A quick glance around told me that Miss Luna was either in the kitchen or decorating room, working on another order. One of her employees, Tony, was working at the register and waved as I approached.

“GOOD MORNING TONY.” I smile politely. Undyne follows silently behind me, looking around the bakery with distrust. There were a lot of humans in this morning, but a few monsters sat in the booths near the windows, enjoying breakfast. “IS MISS LUNA IN? ME AND MY FRIEND HERE NEED TO TALK TO HER. IF THAT IS OK?”

“Good morning.” Tony smiles up at me. “Boss Lady is in the back working on an order right now, but I could scoot on back there and ask if she is free to talk. Do you mind waiting here for a moment?”

“BUT OF COURSE, WE SHALL WAIT HERE FOR YOUR RETURN.” I hear Undyne snort behind me as Tony waves another worker over to take over the register. I turn to face her. “WHAT IS WRONG?”

“He is just giving you the run around Pap. Watch. He is going to go back there and ‘ask if she is free’ and then come back and send us away.” Undyne grumbles as she glares at the doorway to the kitchen. “She probably isn’t even here and if she is, she won’t want to talk to us.”

“UNDYNE!” I gasp, scandalized and slightly offended that she didn’t trust me. “MISS LUNA WOULD NEVER DO THAT! NOR WOULD TONY! HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, PLEASE.”

Undyne looks like she is about to say something else when Tony returns, still smiling. 

“Right this way guys, Boss Lady said to come on back.” Tony turns and waves over his shoulder for us to follow him through the doorway. I hold back from giving Undyne an ‘I told you so look.’

He leads us through a kitchen and around a corner to a door labeled “Decorating Room” that he opens and immediately steps through. I follow close behind, smiling in greetings as Miss Luna turns to face us. Her long white hair is pulled up out of her face and she has a bag of gold colored icing resting on her shoulder. The same covered icing is smeared over her bare arms and smudged on her right cheek. On the worktable next to her is a lovely looking gold and white cake covered in what looks like very complicated designs. I hope she wasn’t too busy to help us. I didn’t want to add more work for her to do.

“Good morning Papyrus.” She grins at me before looking to Undyne who stepped into the room behind me.

“I’ll leave you to it Boss Lady. I’m going to check storage for the gold leaf, I think I remember putting some back there.” We watch as Tony tosses a solute to Miss Luna and leaves, shutting the door behind him. I step further into the room, closer to Miss Luna. The whole room smells like an interesting mixture of sugar, peaches and honey dew.

“Good Morning Miss Luna.” I can immediately feel Undyne’s eye boring into the back of my skull. Well that jig is up, not that I really cared at the moment. I would hate to hurt Miss Luna’s ears, especially in such an enclosed space. “This Is My Friend Undyne! I Brought Her Here So She Can See The Bakery, She Is Getting Married And They Need A Cake!”

“It is nice to finally meet you Undyne. Papyrus speaks very highly of you.” Miss Luna smiles politely at Undyne, who I can suddenly feel seething behind me. What was wrong? “I’m Luna, and this is my bakery. I’d shake your hand, but I am currently covered in icing.”

Miss Luna laughs quietly as she holds up her messy hands. There are a few moments as I watch Undyne look her over. I knew what she was seeing, but Miss Luna wasn’t human despite how much she may look it at the moment. I silently hope that she can tell that. Before I can blink, Undyne has whirled around to face me, baring her teeth angrily.

“I thought you said this was a monster owned business!” She growls at me as I hold my hands up in front of me, trying to sooth her. I grind my teeth before opening my mouth to confirm that yes this was a monster owned bakery, but she cuts me off as she yells. “We’ll never be able to get a cake at this rate! Me and Alphys are running out of time!”

“He wasn’t lying. This is a monster owned business.” Undyne turns to face Miss Luna as she speaks calmly and quietly, interrupting what was sure to be an absolute fit of rage. I turn as well, wincing slightly as Undyne glares at her. I can tell she is trying to intimidate Miss Luna by overpowering her scent with her own. Which was very rude. I feel a touch of anger build up as I subtly shift to stand between the two women. “I may not really look like it now, but I am a monster, you can see my ID if you need to. I’m government registered just like the two of you.”

Undyne glares at Miss Luna before she holds her hand out, for her ID I assume. I watch the two of them silently as Miss Luna begins to clean off her hands. I try to keep myself from completely stepping between them, as I watch Undyne grow more and more impatient. Miss Luna doesn’t seem to care and takes her time. Good, Undyne was being very rude and she could wait. And if not, then I would make her wait. I fixed my eye lights on my friend as she watched Miss Luna slowly stand up and move across the room to retrieve her ID.

When she returns, she holds the ID out to Undyne. I almost growl when Undyne tries to snatch it out of Miss Luna’s hand. To my surprise, Miss Luna doesn’t let go and is jerked forward into Undyne’s space. They stare at each other and I could almost feel the power struggle as Undyne tries to force her to let go through sheer force of will. My bones rattle as I compel myself to remain still instead of stepping between them and forcing Undyne to let go. This was no way to treat my friend, even if Undyne was also my friend, this was all incredibly rude!

The tension rose as they both stood there, neither willing to give in to each other. I clench my teeth and force myself to wait before finally something gives. I watch carefully as Undyne finally lets her grip on the card loosen and Miss Luna allows her to take it. Undyne quickly looks over the card, reading all the information it offered before returning it to its owner.

I sigh silently as I sense Undyne reeling her scent back in and relaxing for the first time since we walked into the bakery. I moved some, subtly rolling my shoulders to try to force myself to relax as well.

“Never met a vampire before. Sorry about that.” Undyne scratches the back of her head and I am thankful that she has the grace to admit her wrongs. Of course, she had never met a vampire before, if she had then none of this would have happened in the first place.

“It’s fine, I am used to it. Usually people are mad when they find out a monster owns the place, not that they think I am not a monster.” Miss Luna snickers, relaxing on her stool like the whole encounter had never happened. How did she do that? I was still trying to force my jawbone to unclench. “So how can I help you?”

When she motions for us to sit, I carefully grab one of the stools so I can sit next to her as Undyne settles in the one in front of hers. I let my shoulders relax as she looks at me, smiling softly. I can’t help but to return the smile, it was all ok. She wasn’t mad.

“Well…. I’m getting married in about a month and a half and we haven’t found a place to make the cake yet.” Undyne sighs, and I see the frustration from earlier this morning returning. “Muffet doesn’t do wedding cakes and none of the human bakeries will do a monster wedding cake. Papyrus said this place was owned by a monster and we should ask if you could do it.”

“I will do a cake for anyone who orders one as long as I am able. We can only take on so many orders at once.” Miss Luna moves to lean against the table next to her. “I can set you up for an appointment, I think we have an opening at the end of the week. You and your fiancé can come in, taste the cake flavors we have, look at possible designs, and decided if you want a cake from here.”

“That easy?” I watch as Undyne’s eye widens in surprise. Of course, it was that easy, but she just had to make it difficult.

“That easy. What time would be good for you both to come in?” Miss Luna smiles encouragingly at Undyne as she pulls out her phone to check her calendar.

“I will have to ask Alphys, I am free all day.” Undyne frowns down at her phone and the door opens to reveal Tony holding a small package.

“Found it! It was in the storage room.” I watch Tony walk over and drop the package on to the table.

“Thank you, Tony. Undyne this is my assistant decorator.” Miss Luna motions Tony to Undyne. “Tony, this is Undyne. She needs to set up an appointment for Friday or Saturday, which ever works for her and her fiancé. If you could go set that up with her, that would be awesome.”

“Sure thing Boss Lady! It is a pleasure to meet you Undyne, how about you call your other half and we can set you up with an appointment.” Tony shakes Undyne’s hand. At least she isn’t continuing to be rude. I watch her stand up to follow him. “Right this way.”

Undyne looks back at me when she notices that I have made no move to get up. She didn’t need me there to make the appointment, and this was the first time I will be able to just sit and talk with Miss Luna alone in a week.

“If It Is Ok, I Would Like To Stay And Talk With Miss Luna. Will You Be Ok Heading Back Without Me?” I look to Miss Luna for the ok, she nods.

“Of course! You knuckle head! See you later!” Undyne grins and waves goodbye as she leaves. As soon as she is gone, I stand up to return the stool to its place next to Miss Luna as she swivels to face the cake she had been working on when we walked in.

I resettle on the stool and watch her pick up the icing bag and start to work.

“How are you today Papyrus?” Her voice is quiet and now that Undyne is gone I can hear the music playing from the speaker across the room.

“I Am Well, I Was Training With Undyne Today.” If you could call cooking training. I watch her work quietly, trying to get my thoughts straight. I had wanted to ask her so many questions since we went on our run but hadn’t wanted to talk to her with anyone around to listen. Now I had the chance to speak but I couldn’t figure out what to ask exactly.

Miss Luna simply continues to work, giving me time to think. I am thankful for her thoughtfulness and take the time to organize my thoughts.

“Sans Told Me That You Weren’t Human. I Hope That It Was Ok That I Told Undyne. She Really Needed To Find Somewhere To Make Their Cake And She Refused To Go To Another Human Bakery After The Last One Turned Her Down. I Really Wanted To Help Them Out.” I just didn’t realize how rude my friend was going to be once we got here. I wring my hands, trying to release some of the agitation that built up inside me at the thought of how Undyne had reacted. I knew Miss Luna had a reason for hiding what she was, and I didn’t want her to think I would go around telling just anyone without a good reason. I am not looking at her when I feel her hand on my shoulder, causing me to look up. 

“It’s all good Papyrus. I may not advertise that I am a monster, but I am not against other monsters knowing what I am. Besides, why would I be upset? You brought me a new customer.” Her voice is soft and kind as she smiles at me. I sigh in relief, at least I now knew what I had done was ok. I find myself returning her smile.

We both fall into a comfortable silence as she returns to her work. I watch as she carefully works on the cake, it was really cool how easy she made it look. I want to just sit there and watch her work all day but more questions nag at my mind.

“Sans Said You Two Talked About Instincts.” I keep watching as she works. I knew the basics about instincts from a few of the books I had found but I was having trouble applying them to my brother and myself. It all didn’t quite make since, but that could be because the books I had found had been full of dry analytical data. “Could You Explain It To Me? Sans Tried But He Didn’t Do A Very Good Job.”

“What are you confused about?” Miss Luna hums to the music playing as she rotates the cake on its stand. Sans was more of a scientific mind that I was, but maybe she would know how to help me understand.

“Sans Said We Don’t Really Have Any.” Which couldn’t be right, right? I wring my hands anxiously, there wasn’t something wrong with us, was there? “But The Book I Got From The Library Said That All Monsters Have Instincts. So Why Don’t We?”

“You have instincts Papyrus, both of you do. The book you read wasn’t wrong.” Miss Luna pauses to change something out on her icing bag. “My guess is that you either never had to rely on them in the underground or you were not taught how to use them and recognize what they are. But you do have them, every monster does. Heck every living thing has instincts in some form or another. Just certain creatures rely on their instincts more than others. They are like a muscle, the more you use them, the stronger they are.”

“What Would Be Considered An Instinct?” I feel a flush of relief. There was nothing wrong with us. We just hadn’t needed to use them, but I needed to know what they were exactly so I could use them correctly. We hadn’t exactly had a role model to teach us when we were baby bones.

“An instinct can be anything from a feeling you get from a situation, like a hunch. To a reaction that doesn’t require a conscious thought. A push to do certain things even if they don’t really make sense to your brain at the time. Things like that.” Thoughts begin to race through my mind as she speaks quietly next to me. So many scenarios run through my forethought, trying to pick apart each interaction. Miss Luna continues to speak. “Monsters are very instinctual creatures; we use them to survive. Instincts can dictate a lot of our actions.”

“So, Like If Someone Does Something And You Have The Urge To Act A certain Way In Response, Even If You Don’t Know Why You Would Act That Way?” I frown, like how I had wanted to get into Undyne’s space to tell her off, despite her also being my friend and it would have made me seem just as rude as she had. Or was how Undyne had reacted to Miss Luna not letting her ID go was an instinctual response?

“Kind of, yeah. But usually you don’t ignore that urge to act. Instincts are there to help you and you feel that urge for a reason.” Miss Luna puts down her icing bag and turns to face me. “Here let me try something. I want you to react, don’t try to think about it, don’t stop yourself from what ever reaction you have. Ok?”

“Ok?” I feel a little uneasy, react without thinking? But I always thought out my actions very carefully. I guess I could try.

“Someone is going to kill Sans. Right now.” All kindness left her voice as she stared into my eyes coldly. There was a threatening edge to her voice. It threw my mind into overdrive, but before I could really think clearly, my body reacted, and one thought invaded my mind. No not Sans.

A growl vibrated violently through my ribcage and I felt my teeth ache. My hands clench painfully in my lap, wanting to reach for the threat, wherever it was. Nothing was going to hurt my brother if I had my way.

The growl immediately dies out as I hear… a whistle? I come back to myself, seeing Miss Luna watching me quietly with a gleam in her eyes. What had I just done? That was completely uncalled for, Sans was fine. I feel my cheekbones heat up as I cover my face with my hands. What had I just done? That one thought kept circling through my head. 

“I Am So Sorry Miss Luna! I Didn’t Mean To Do That! I-“ I can hear the tone of my voice raise as I bury my head further into my hands. What did she think of me now? I had just growled at her like some animal.

“Don’t be sorry.” I feel her hand softly patting my shoulder, trying to comfort me. “That was really impressive.”

“Impressive?” She thought that was impressive. She wasn’t upset with me? I still don’t remove my face from my hands, my face still on fire.

“Hell yeah! That growl was very impressive from someone who isn’t used to making that kind of sound.” I hear her laugh softly. She was right, I wasn’t used to growling, I had way better control over myself than that. Oddly, some part of me was pleased that she had thought it was impressive despite how rude it had been to growl in her face. I feel my shoulders start to relax some. “That was an instinctual reaction to a threat to someone who you care about, it was completely natural. I would be concerned if you hadn’t reacted at all.”

“You’re Not Mad? Or Scared Of Me?” I slowly take my face out of my hands, magic still pooled on my cheek bones. I had been so rude, despite how good it had felt to respond the way I had.

“No, why would I be mad?” Miss Luna chuckles softly, shaking her head at me. “I not only told you to react without thinking but I am the one who said it. I have no place to get mad. As for scared? Papyrus it takes a lot more than that to scare me. Besides, it isn’t good to ignore your instincts.”

“It’s Bad?” I tilt my head to the side in question as my cheeks finally start to cool off. Is that what I have been doing all this time, ignoring my instincts? Most of the things I considered an overreaction on my part, or rude to act upon were….natural? Or were only certain things natural and the rest was just me? I sigh and look down at my hands, trying to get my thoughts straight. Sans and I hadn’t really ever had a good example to follow and had tried our hardest to figure out how to act. Had we been wrong. Was I wrong? “So All These Things I Have Been Feeling, And How I Have Wanted To Act But Haven’t Is All Natural For Monsters?”

“Yes, as natural as breathing. Have you been repressing yourself Papyrus?” I can hear the concern in Miss Luna’s voice. More than you know, I thought to myself as multiple scenarios run through my mind. How was I supposed to act? What was appropriate? Did this explain some of the odd ways I had seen Miss Luna act? “What’s going on Papyrus? You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to. I’m just concerned.”

“It Is Just So Much To Take In.” I had a lot more to think about now. “I Just Need To Think About It All. Thank You For Answering My Questions Miss Luna.”

“Just Luna, Papyrus. You don’t have to call me miss.” I feel something lighten in my soul at her calm, understanding. “You can ask questions any time, I don’t mind at all.”

“Luna…Is It Ok If I Stay Here And Watch You Work?” I look up to watcher start working on the cake again. I wanted to spend time with her, maybe it’ll let me get to know her better. And give me a chance to observe another monster closely without being rude. She clearly knew how to act and had different experiences than me and my brother had.

“Sure, I like the company.” Her kind smile makes me grin as I watch her quietly work. It was very relaxing. She doesn’t seem bothered or upset when I ask her what she is doing and what the different things on her table did. I made sure that she knew she was doing a very good job. The cake was amazing, and only continued to be more so the longer she worked.

I ended up spending the entire day, sitting next to Luna, watching her work. It was extremely soothing, and I found my mind finally quieting down and enjoying listening to her work. I didn’t even mind going across the street to grab lunch from Grillby’s. While it wasn’t my favorite, I really didn’t want to go too far to get food. I did pause when Grillby handed me a second cup to bring back with me. He told me it was for Luna, so I didn’t question it. I did come up short when I smelt the coppery tinge of blood coming from the cup as I walked across the street. Well she was a vampire, I decided not to mention it. Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, she needed to eat too.

As I walked with Luna home, I watched her from the corner of my eye as she interacted with the world around her. She seemed cautious, she moved quietly and carefully, always watching what was around her. It was interesting to see.

We both say goodbye at our doors, going our separate ways. A twinge in my soul causes me to pause as I hear her door close next to mine. What was that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there is more to our dear skeleton than it seems ;)
> 
> Have a great week guys!


	10. I've Got You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, this chapter alludes to some PTSD.  
> We are back to Luna's point of view.

_“I’ve got you little moon. I’ve got you.” a weathered voice whispered soothingly into my ear. Thin arms, stronger than steel cradled me close, I felt so small. We were moving, all I could see was the old faded shirt I had buried my face into. It smelled like home, like wet moss and honey suckle. But the smell wasn’t strong enough to drown out the smell of fire, sulfur, blood, rotting death that permeated the very air I sucked in with gulping sobs._

_I scrunched my eyes closed and clung closer as those arms gripped me tighter. Wailing was the only sound I heard, and I only realized it was coming from me when my lungs screamed for air and the sound cut short as I gasped in the smokey fumes. The world around me shifted and I was no longer being held but stood tall, on my own._

_A few short gasps drew in fresher air into my lungs that I choked on as I felt a burning pain slice through my stomach. Iron strong hands gripped my arms, holding me steady. Wet moss and honey suckle filled my senses, stained with blood and pain. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t draw an even breath, could barely gasp. No not him too! Nononononononononononono! Not him!_

_"I’ve got you little moon.” The weathered voice rasped, gurgling with blood. I gripped the forearms in front of me, clinging like they were my only lifeline. No not him! The pain in my gut doubled as the sword that connected the two of us was twisted and pulled away. I felt the body before me shudder and I shouldered the weight as he lurched forward. My body screamed in pain, my magic crackled in distress and blood ran down my body as I felt a gurgling gasp rattle the body in my arms. Dust started to slowly trickle to the ground. “Live on my little moon. I’ve got you.”_

~~~

I sit up gasping for air, sweat streaming down my face. My stomach is on fire and I can’t get enough air, my fangs ache and I can feel my magic crackling wildly in the air around me. The temperature in the room plummets before it rises to an almost stifling heat, fluctuating erratically as my glowing eyes dart around the dark room. My soul cries out painfully and I clench a shaking fist to my chest.

It takes way to long for me get my brain to recognize that I was in my room, in my small apartment, safely sitting in the mass of pillows and blankets on my bed. To recognize that I was safe, that the slicing pain in my abdomen was just a ghost, that I couldn’t actually smell the blood, the dust.

It takes way too long for me to get my magic to settle, to let the room return to it’s natural, carefully controlled temperature, to untangle my legs from the blankets, to wipe the sweat from my body. It takes way too much effort to move to the edge of the bed. Too many tries to stand on legs that didn’t want to function. Too much effort to gather all the sweat drenched blankets, separate the pillows and pile them in the floor. It is way to hard to stumble to my door and drag the blankets to the waiting washing machine, to start it, load it, leave it.

It takes too many tries to try to pull my knotted hair out of my eyes. So, I give up and leave it. The apartment is too small, too suffocating, too dark, too bright, too much. It takes so much magic to pull my glamour forward, but I do it anyway. Without knowing how, I find myself outside. Sitting on my balcony, sitting in my lounge chair, legs drawn to my chest and sucking in the cool night air into my oxygen starved lungs. Breathing was almost too much effort.

I don’t know what time it was, or how long I sat there, immobile, staring up at the moon. It was late. Or early. I wasn’t quite sure.

“can’t sleep either?” a low voice rumbles to my right and I jolt in my seat, turning to face the voice. I move too fast and almost tumble out of my chair. It takes me a moment to recognize Sans leaning against the railing of the balcony next to mine, his eye lights watching me carefully in the dark. “didn’t mean to startle you. you seemed **bonely**.”

I stare at him, for how long I’m not sure, slowly blinking as I try to process his words. He watches me calmly, not moving, just waiting. For what I’m not sure. The night had stolen my voice, I didn’t know when I’d get it back.

“got room for one more?” there was a crackle of magic and my brain barely registers the sharp smell of wintergreen and cedar as Sans appears on my balcony, still a decent distance from my lounge chair. Silently I move so I am sitting as far back as I can, legs once more pulled to my chest. Sans slowly moves across my balcony to my chair, taking the silent invitation but seeming to be very careful with how fast he moves. Vaguely I wonder just how bad I looked before I push the thought away and return my gaze back to the moon.

I feel the chair shift as Sans settles near the foot of it, close to my small table. I keep my eyes up, unable to relax out of my rigid position, unable to look away from the soft glow of the celestial body. I hear a soft hum next to me.

“it’s a waxing gibbous. should be a full moon soon…maybe next week.” The deep rumble of Sans’s voice has me glancing down. He has his skull tilted so he can look up at the moon too. “you could see mars tonight if it wasn’t for all the light pollution.”

We sit silently for some time, just staring at the moon before Sans stands up. I watch him carefully as he turns to face me, from this distance I could see faint blue bruises under his sockets. He looked as tired as I felt.

“gonna grab something real fast, sit tight.” With another crackle of blue magic, he is gone again. I am finally feeling the deceptive cold of the summer night seeping into my body, the sweat on my skin long dried but my tank top and shorts still feel damp. I wrap my arms further around my legs, tempted to let my magic crackle to life to try to warm myself up but I knew it was too unstable to risk it. The smell of wintergreen and the crackle of his magic tells me that Sans has returned. I look up when I feel him trying to press something warm into my hands.

My hands automatically let go of my legs and wrap around the mug Sans pushed into them. A smell I hadn’t smelled in ages wafts from the steam as I bring it to my face. Sans settles back onto the other end of the chair, his own mug held in one hand. He is watching me as he brings the mug up to his teeth to carefully sip it.

“helps settle the nerves.” I slowly take a sip of the tea. He had added a little bit of sugar to it, which I appreciated. I sigh as I feel the warmth from the drink sink into my body. I could tell that Sans had imbued it with some of his own magic as it tingled in my mouth. My shoulders slowly relax.

“I don’t remember the last time I had golden flower tea.” My voice comes out so quietly I don’t know if Sans could even hear it. He hums in acknowledgement as he takes another sip of his tea.

“it hits the spot.” I nod as both me and Sans return to looking up. There were very few stars that could be seen from our small perch in the city. But the moon glowed brightly and proudly in the middle of the inky black sky. It was calming, so was Sans’s presence on the chair next to me.

“My grandfather used to have an old box of golden flower tea.” I don’t know why I started talking but I continued anyway. “We only drank it on very special occasions since it was so hard to come by.”

“makes sense. the main source is in the underground. haven’t seen much of it growing since we surfaced.” Sans murmurs next to me. “paps always has some in the house, even has an extra box stashed away somewhere.”

“Humans thought they were weeds. There are very few golden flowers growing naturally up here. It was my grandfather’s favorite. He was a little bit of a tea fanatic. But he always kept that box of tea, even after all the leaves pretty much turned to dust.” I laugh softly, thinking about he put the tea away in a special box, sealed and waterproofed. “You would have thought it was made of angel’s tears with how much he loved it.”

“in the underground it was a necessi- **tea**.” I snort softly and I can see Sans grinning out of the corner of my eye. “i don’t know if we could have gotten **oolong** without it.”

A giggle bubbles up my throat as I turn to look at Sans, he has a shit eating grin on his face as he brings his mug up to his mouth to take a drink. I wrap my hands tighter around my own mug as I lean back in the lounge chair, legs still tucked close to my chest.

“I be- **leaf** you would have survived.” I bring the mug up to my lips as I watch Sans’s face light up. His eye lights expand, and his grin grows impossibly wide.

“it would have really lowered the quali- **tea** of life though.” I snicker into my mug before I take a sip. My soul hummed happily in my chest as if the tea were washing over it soothingly.

“I’m sure it would have.” I rest the mug on my knees and tilt my head to the side, watching Sans chuckle softly. “I haven’t heard much about the underground, but it sounded rough” 

“it was but i had paps there so it wasn’t nothin we couldn’t handle together.” Sans’s voice filled with pride when he mentioned his brother, it made me smile softly as I leaned my head against my shoulder.

“Tell me about it?”

~~~

“and there paps is, standing there with the blasted orb in his hand. frisk waiting on the other side of this invisible maze-“

“No, don’t tell me he forgot to give the kid the orb.” I’m holding my sides, laughing as Sans is trying to talk, in no better shape than I am.

“the kid just steps forward, with this blank look on their face.” Sans is shaking with laughter, blue tears running down his skull. “i have never seen my bro jump so high!”

Though I would hate to see him hurt, the thought of Papyrus rocketing into the air from a massive jolt of electricity as me laughing so hard I feel tears running down my face. It looks way too cartoonish in my head. I’m sure we both sound like a couple of cackling hyenas in the early morning twilight but I can’t quite bring myself to care.

The sun has just begun to peak over the tops of buildings, casting a warm welcome glow on my balcony. At some point, my legs had made it into San’s lap and our mugs were abandoned on the table. San’s leaned back against the railing my chair was pressed alongside, as he tried to calm down, his laughter slowing tapering off into sporadic chuckles. He rolls his head to look at me, eye lights large in his sockets and they shimmer with mirth. I have managed to calm down to spasms of giggles and clench my stomach and am trying to wipe the tears off my face.

“huh. purple.” I freeze for a moment as I feel a smooth bone run softly up my cheek. Sans pulls his hand away, watching curiously as a purple tear clings to his index finger, standing out starkly against the white bone. I wait patiently as he studies it, an eyebrow raised. He wipes it away with his thumb, humming softly. “cool.”

I open my mouth to say something when the door to the balcony next to mine swings open.

“There You Are. You Weren’t In Your Room So I Got Worried.” Papyrus steps out onto the balcony, wearing his running gear, and immediately moves to the railing closest to mine.

“just hanging out here with sugar plum here.” I snort at the sudden nickname. Sans waggles his brow bones at me, I roll my eyes and look to Papyrus.

“Good morning Papyrus. I hope we didn’t wake you up.” Papyrus smiles softly at me.

“Good Morning Luna. No You Did Not Wake Me, I Was Already Awake.” Papyrus waves my concern off, smiling happily. “It Is Good To Hear My Brother Laughing And Awake This Early.”

I don’t think either of have really slept in the past 24 hours, but I don’t point that out to Papyrus. An idea strikes me as I take my feet out of Sans’s lap, turning to sit sideways in the lounge chair.

“Have you eaten yet Papyrus?” I miss the look of disappointment on Sans’s face when I move away. When Papyrus shakes his head ‘no’ I stand up smiling. “Would you like to come over and help me cook breakfast?”

Papyrus’s face lights up at the prospect of cooking.

“Of Course! That Sounds Like A lot Of Fun!” Papyrus claps his hands together happily. He pauses when I hold up a finger to stop him.

“But I have one condition.” Both skeletons watch me as I smile good naturedly. “You have to do it my way.”

~~~

We were standing in the kitchen while Sans laughed from my small kitchen table, chopping the strawberries I had forced him to cut for us. Pancake batter covered the front of the t-shirt and sweats I had thrown on after Sans and I had gone into my apartment to let Papyrus in. He had seemed offended when Sans suggested jumping the railing to my balcony and had insisted on being let into my apartment the proper way.

Papyrus didn’t look any better than I did, batter splattered across his face and shirt. He had been a little over enthusiastic with the whisk and I was currently explaining to him that while cooking required passion, that passion didn’t necessarily translate to violence. Sans apparently thought it was hilarious. I whirled around to face him; bowl cradled to my chest where it rested after I rescued it from Papyrus’s enthusiasm.

“Listen here bone boy! You’re his older brother, any cooking skill he has acquired falls back on you!” I brandish a clean spatula at him, making him laugh harder. “I mean come on! You raised him! I know you had to have cooked for him at some point! No way in hell you taught him this!”

All Sans could do was drop his head to the table as he cackled uncontrollably. His shoulders shook and blue tears leaked down his face. Papyrus only looked slightly sheepish as he reached for a dish towel that hung from the handle of my oven.

“Well Undyne Has Been Teaching Me How To Cook Since We Were In The Underground. This Was How She Taught Me To Cook.” Papyrus grins down at me, as he starts to try to clean up the mess he has made.

“Well from now own, I’m teaching you how to cook.” I grumbled as I set the bowl down on the counter.

“Woowie! Really?! That Would Be Amazing!” Papyrus’s eye lights turn into small stars. “Could You Teach Me How To Bake As Well?”

I smirk at Papyrus as I lean against my kitchen counter, reaching for the towel he had so I could wipe some of the batter off.

“I think I could arrange that.” The look of pure joy on the skeleton’s face makes my soul sing happily. I could do that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late. I didn't have access to my computer for most of the week and only had a few day I could actually write this.   
> Thanks for reading this.   
> I hope you all have a great week. :)


	11. Forever Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is incredibly late. For some reason this chapter gave my brain fits. But here it is! I battled my brain and came out victorious!  
> I really hope you enjoy it! It is kind of a long one :)

The next month was filled with work, meetings with Undyne and Alphys, reteaching Papyrus how to cook, and spending Sundays with the skeleton brothers. Alphys had to be the cutest monster I have ever met. She was a small yellow lizard monster with large round glasses, she spoke softly except when she was excited about the topic, even then she barely reached a dull roar. I had met with her and Undyne on multiple occasions to first iron out what they had wanted for their cake and then after we had gotten to know each other a little better we started to hang out once a week when we were all free for dinner. Kind of like a girl’s night. I found that despite early misgivings, Undyne and I got along really well and found ourselves with quite a bit to talk about. Anything from training and strategy to art and music. Undyne preferred abstract acrylics while I dabbled in just about everything. I greatly enjoyed their company when we were able to meet up.

Sunday mornings were spent in either my or Sans and Papyrus’s apartment cooking breakfast, often teaching the taller skeleton a new recipe. After breakfast had time to settle, we went for a run, leaving Sans behind to nap wherever he lay. One of those runs ended up being diverted to the gym due to a heavy rain. Apparently, Papyrus had never bothered to go into a gym before, so I showed him around and explained how all the machines worked and helped him acquire a membership. He was enamored and it was quite enjoyable to watch him flit around excitedly, asking hundreds of questions.

During the week Sans and Papyrus would stop by the bakery and chat, inviting me over for dinner on a regular basis, if I hadn’t already asked them first. Papyrus showed up at the bakery like clockwork most days, developing a pattern like Grillby had. Sans was more sporadic with his visits, often coinciding with his breaks at work or how much patience he had with his coworkers that day. It wasn’t uncommon to see him around lunch time or closer to mid-afternoon. I often talked with them when they visited, taking a couple breaks to sit with them if they stayed to eat or relax. It became an enjoyable routine that I looked forward to, slowly getting to know the skeleton brothers as they got to know me.

I was pleasantly surprised when Undyne handed me an invitation to her wedding one morning when she came by to confirm the final details of their wedding cake. She acted like it was the most normal thing in the world but I don’t think she realized that this was the first monster event I had been invited to, or any above ground monster had been invited to really. I was quite excited to go and be around other monsters without hiding what I was. There was no way I was going to the first monster wedding aboveground with my glamour. Not only would it be disrespectful, but I honestly didn’t want to, I was looking forward to the respite from constantly hiding.

Since it was a black-tie wedding, I had to use one of my Sundays off to go searching for an appropriate dress. It had taken me the whole day to find the right dress that not only fit the dress code but also met my own conditions. I wanted to go as traditional as possible. I remembered my grandfather telling me to always display my markings with pride, especially at formal events. It was traditional for a vampire to wear something backless to show the tattoos that covered every available surface there and sleeves were to be avoided unless absolutely necessary. I had earned every single tattoo and like any other vampire I hated to cover them when I had to, often wearing razor back tops as much as possible when I wasn’t working.

Sans and Papyrus had asked about my tattoos and I had explained how each one of them meant something. They had seen the ones on my arms and shoulder that were on display for anyone to see. My healer’s marks on my hands, the ones I received from my first hunt running up my right bicep, the completion of my combat training on the left, and the marks I received when my magic finally settled upon reaching maturity weaving around my forearms. What they hadn’t seen was my coming of age mark that ran midway down my spine to the small of my back or the many others that hugged my ribs and sides. All of it, a swirling mass of tribal markings that told my life’s story on a canvas of splashed watercolors.

Every vampire had their own markings that they took pride in and displayed for the world to see even if most never new their true meaning. Humans just thought they were just cool tattoos, which made it easier to hide in plain site before the monsters emerged from the underground. The traditions were kept alive by those who remained. Aside from Grillby, I had yet to meet a monster from the underground who knew what my tattoos were. Their meaning lost to their history due to the lack of my species in the subterranean prison.

So, I took the time to search every store possible for a black-tie appropriate dress that also showed off my back and arms. It had taken a lot of time and hair pulling but I had finally found the right dress. It was a backless halter top with a high-low shirt that started with a light purple before ending in a deep plum around the hem. The front of the skirt stopped at my knees and brushed at my ankles in the back. It was simple yet elegant enough for black-tie. I picked out plain black heels to go with it.

I was currently working my fingers through my hair as I carefully braided it, trying to get ready in my small bathroom. I threaded multiple small braids along the left side of my head, mixed in with a couple of larger ones, all of which I meticulously worked around the back of my head to my right side. With multiple bobby pins I held them in place before blending them in with the rest of my hair which I curled and tousled with a few small braids thrown in, all of it pulled to rest over my shoulder. It looked almost Viking like, and I loved it.

Keeping my make up very simple, I applied mascara and swiped on eye liner into a sharp cat eye. My lipstick was a soft rose color, nothing too dramatic. I skipped foundation all together, it made my skin feel like it was suffocating. After I was finished with my lipstick, I checked my earrings. Making sure they were all in the right place and replacing all the hoops in my ear lobes with purple crystal studs except in the first ones I carefully put in purple tear drops that hang from silver chains.

Satisfied with my appearance I walk to my bedroom to slip on my heels. A knock on my door has me quickly trotting out of the room. I open the door to find Grillby standing outside in an immaculate suit. He grins down at me as he takes in my appearance.

“You look lovely my dear friend.” Grillby pulls me into a hug, careful to not mess up my hair. I smile brightly at him as I shift to step out of my apartment, a small black clutch in hand. He lets me go so I can turn and lock up. 

“I didn’t think you could clean up any nicer than you already do.” I chuckle softly as we step away from my door to begin heading out of the apartment building. Grillby had offered to give me a ride to the wedding since I couldn’t exactly drive my motorcycle in a dress and heels. The cake had been delivered this morning after I had finished a few last-minute details and Sans and Papyrus had to be at the venue early to help with the preparations as well as to get ready themselves.

Papyrus had proudly told me weeks ago that Undyne had asked him to be her man of honor. He had been over the moon after being asked that he had bounded into my bakery with triple the usual energy. Apparently Alphys had asked Sans to do the same for her, he had complained to me that he had to wear a three piece suit but I could tell that he was touched that she had asked him.

Parked in the parking deck was Grillby’s black Chevy Belair. It was a lovely car, remodeled and well taken care of. We both carefully slipped in and Grillby pulled out onto the street, heading toward the venue.

Once we were well on our way, I pull down the visor to inspect my face. I can tell that Grillby is watching me from the corner of his eye as I carefully grasp my magic, counting back from ten to release my glamour. A large grin spreads across my reflection as my birthmarks bloom back into existence on the sides of my face. The swirling black lines trace themselves from the corner of my eyes and down my cheek bones to caress my jawbone. Gleaming fangs shine in the sunlight as my face takes on a more angular and predatorial look, cheek bones sharpen my jaw more defined rather than rounded. My eyes sharpen and tilt up slightly as my ears taper off to a well-defined point. I felt comfortable in my own skin once again.

“I forgot how refreshing it is to see you be your true self.” I look over to see a grin gracing my friend’s face as we roll to a stop at a red light. He turns to fully look at me. “I look forward to the day where this becomes a regular sight.”

“Maybe one day.” I murmur as I flip the visor back up and Grillby continues driving. The venue is in the main monster part of town in a large historical building. The reception would be in the embassy which was a block down the road. I take in the building as Grillby follows the directions of a whimsun that was directing the cars to the correct parking.

Almost every window is made of stained glass, glinting brilliantly off the midday sun. The exterior was made from dark gray marble and stone modeled in a breath-taking gothic revival. It was large enough to hold all the monsters that were invited. There were a few news crews out front, apparently the humans thought that this was a big deal as well. I could feel the giddy air of celebration and magic as I carefully step out of the car, Grillby holding my door open like the gentleman he is.

We make our way through the parking lot to the front steps, ignoring the news crew as a pair of loox open the double doors for us. The inside is just as breath taking as the outside, everything cast in warm rainbow hues as the sun peaks through the stained-glass windows. There are flowers everywhere and their sweet smell permeates the air. It looked like a fantasy garden, complete with vines and fairy lights.

Grillby stayed by my side as we were escorted to our seats, choosing to sit next to me since I didn’t know many of the monsters that were invited. I knew some of the regulars from his bar and a few that frequented my bakery but that was all. Almost all of the seats were filled when we finally settled into our own, taking care of the cake earlier this morning had taken out a lot of the time I needed to get ready and while we weren’t late, we were rather close to the start of the ceremony.

The room was filled with a quiet din of noise as the monsters all talked quietly among themselves and hidden speakers played a soft ambiance. I was glad for the abundance of flowers in the room that drowned out the scents of so many monsters in such a small space. I could still smell the warm caramel and whisky wafting form Grillby next to me, but the rest were thoroughly covered by the flowers. It was probably a strategical move on their part.

I looked up the aisle as the music changed, the room growing silent. The ceremony was beginning. The Queen stood up at the altar with Alphys, wearing official royal attire. I remember Alphys telling me that she was officiating the whole thing. Alphys looked beautiful in her satin A-line dress. She had short white gloves and a delicate birdcage veil that had pretty blue flowers at the top. It was overall a simple look but flattered her greatly, and most of all she looked comfortable and happy standing there waiting for her other half.

The music shifted to a light orchestral piece and everyone turned as Sans began to make his way down the aisle on his own. He looked good in his black three-piece suit, he had a blue pocket square that matched his vest and it looked like Papyrus had forced him to wear shiny black dress shoes. He walked at a steady pace and Papyrus appeared behind him, looking dashing in his own suit. Instead of blue, his vest and pocket square were vibrant yellow.

When they both made it to the alter, Sans took his place next to Alphys and Papyrus stood on the other side where Undyne would be. I smiled softly as Papyrus stood tall and beaming in his place, taking his job very seriously.

The room grew silent as even the music faded out, the doors at the end of the aisle opening once more. Everyone stood as Undyne and King Asgore appeared in the doorway. They waited until a beautiful winding piano piece began to play before they began the stead procession down the aisle. Undyne wore a lace mermaid gown with a sweetheart neckline and elbow length white gloves. She had a lace trimmed veil pinned to her bright red hair that fell loosely around her shoulders in careful curls that trailed midway down her back.

King Asgore wore official royal attire much like the Queen’s, and he carefully guided Undyne down the flower lined aisle runner. In one hand she clutched a cascading bouquet of bright yellow flowers and the other she kept on the King’s uplifted forearm. The sight of the King made my stomach twist nervously, but I kept the smile on my face as I watched them walk by and up to the alter. I remember Undyne telling me once that King Asgore was like a father to her, she had been over the moon when he had agreed to escort her on her wedding day. I was happy for both of them.

Once they finally reached the altar and the King handed Undyne off, everyone settled back into their seats. The ceremony begins with Queen Toriel addressing everyone, thanking them for gathering to bear witness to this wonderful occasion. She told the brief history of monster weddings and explained that this was the first one to occur since the monsters resurfaced. Then she started the ceremony in earnest.

It was a lovely ceremony; it spoke much of the love the two monsters shared and was kind of like a human ceremony. The difference was at the point of exchanging vows, the soul bonding part of the ceremony began. Undyne and Alphys first exchanged their promises to each other before the Queen led them through the lines, they needed to complete the bond. Papyrus and Sans both vowed and bore witness to the strength of their bonds. It was all very official but beautiful. You could almost taste the magic in the air when the two sealed their bond with a kiss.

The whole room erupted in cheers and applause as Queen Toriel introduced the new couple. I clapped and cheered with Grillby, grinning happily as the two of them made their way back up the aisle with Sans and Papyrus following behind individually. It was all very soul warming and beautiful. The gathered monsters waited until the King and Queen informed everyone to make their way to the grand hall of the embassy for the reception celebration before steadily streaming out of the building and down the block.

The embassy of a vision of white marble, and the grand hall was decorated in a similar fashion as the building the ceremony was held in. As soon as I entered, I quickly made my way to table the wedding cake was on. Grillby followed close behind me. I checked the cake over meticulously, making sure that the yellow and blue flowers were all holding up and hadn’t melted with the warmer temperature of the room. It was a six-tiered cake that had taken me quite a while to finish, but in the end it was worth it. The base was a light powdery yellow with dark navy detailing on the top and sides of each tier. The flowers were clustered in a steady spiral that started from the top tier and wrapped around the other five. I had worked with Tony to carefully make a topper out of sugar that was a deep blue and yellow flames intertwining around each other.

Once I was sure that the cake was still perfect, I followed Grillby to find a seat at one of the tables that surrounded a beautiful dance floor. Someone came around and asked what drinks we wanted; I went with water while Grillby asked for some champagne. We talked comfortably as we waited for the wedding party and the newly bonded pair to make their way over to the reception after taking pictures. After a while Sans and Papyrus slipped into the room from one of the back doors. I caught Papyrus’s eye lights and waved them over.

Both brothers stopped just before they reached our table, staring at us. I tilted my head in confusion before I remembered that neither had seen me without my glamour. I tried to smile at both of them, nervous as they stared at me for a few moments more. Sans seemed to shake off his shock first before he nudged his brother as he resumed his path to our table. Papyrus blinked a few times before trotting to catch up with Sans just as he reached our table. My smile felt less strained as I watched Papyrus’s face light up with a huge grin.

“Wow Luna! You Look Stunning!” I feel my pale face heat up as Papyrus beams down at me. If I didn’t know better, I could swear I saw a feint dusting of orange on the skeleton’s cheek bones. “Those Tattoos On Your Face Are Quite Lovely.”

“They’re birthmarks.” I chuckle softly, bringing my hand up to brush the black marks on my cheeks. “I was born with these.”

“well my bro is right. they are pretty.” Sans rumbled softly as he pulls out a chair next to me. Papyrus quickly takes the seat on his other side, politely greeting Grillby.

“The two you are looking quite handsome yourselves.” I pick up my water, grinning as Papyrus puffs out his chest proudly and Sans chuckles softly, scratching idly at the side of his cheek bone where there is a light dusting of blue. “I’m really digging the suits.”

“well it **suits** paps more than me.” Sans laughs softly, brushing off his embarrassment as Papyrus lets out an annoyed ‘Nyeh’ next to him. I snort softly before taking a sip of my water. Just as I am about to retort someone announces the arrival of the new couple and everyone cheers as Undyne sweeps in, pulling a grinning, red-faced Alphys into the room. I don’t think Undyne’s grin could get any wider as she carefully pulls her other half onto the waiting dance floor to have their first dance.

I leaned on my hand as I watched the two twirl around the floor to a sweet love song, a smile stretching easily across my face. I don’t think I had ever seen the Guard Captain move so gracefully. I chuckle softly as the pair pass close to the table, I could hear Alphys giggling softly over the music at something Undyne said as she leads her along the side of the dance floor. It was all very sweet and fun to watch.

When the music came to an end, everyone clapped happily before another song came on. I watched as the King and Queen swept onto the dance floor to join the pair who continued to dance into the next song, having eyes only for each other. I was so busy watching as more and more couples flooded the dance floor that I didn’t notice Papyrus standing and moving around the table to my seat.

“May I Have This Dance?” Papyrus’s voice causes my head to snap up and look at him. He is standing in front of my chair, one hand extended to me, the other tucked neatly behind his back. The tall skeleton seemed a little nervous as he waited for my answer.

“You may.” I grin up at him, laughing softly as relief washes over his features before he scoops up my hand and pulls me out of my chair and onto the dance floor. I can’t help but to giggle as he pulls me too him, settling a hand on my waist and securely taking my right hand in his own.

Papyrus beams at me and begins to lead me around the dance floor. My soul thrums happily in my chest. He is surprisingly good, and I mention this which makes him laugh.

“I Took Some Lessons With Undyne Before The Wedding. She Didn’t Know How To Dance Either And Wanted To Impress Alphys.” Papyrus chuckles as he twirls me around before bringing me back to him, sweeping the two of us gracefully between the other dancers on the floor. I let a mischievous smirk slip onto my face as I look up at Papyrus.

“Does that mean you wanted to impress me?” I ask quietly but my only answer was a ‘Nyeh’ as Papyrus twirled me around once more. Before I could comment on his lack of answer, a warm hand grasped the free hand I had extended when Papyrus twirled me away.

“my turn sugar plum.” Sans rumbles in my ear as he pulls me to his chest and sweeps me away from his brother. I catch Papyrus’s eye lights over Sans’s shoulder but he only grins and waves before making his way back to the table we were sitting at. I squeak when Sans suddenly pulls me to the other side of the dance floor. I feel laughter rumble in his chest. “so, this is how you look without all that magic. i could get used to this.”

My soul tugs sharply in my chest as Sans carefully moves us around the dance floor. His eye lights watch me intensely, staring at the place my soul resides.

“so you feel it too.” I meet Sans’s white eye lights as he turns us carefully. I know what he was talking about, it was something I was becoming increasingly aware of the more time I spent in the skeletons’ presence. Before I can respond Sans interrupts me, his voice filled with wonder as he nods his head in his brother’s direction. “yeah we both felt that.”

I glance over to the table to see Papyrus watching us, a hand placed on his sternum. He is grinning as Sans twirls me away from himself briefly before pulling me back to lead once more. I was kind of shocked at the usually lazy skeleton, he actually knew how to dance. Whether it was a previously learned skill or newly acquired I didn’t know.

Sans had managed to lead us so that as the song came to an end we were stopped next to the table. He grins down at me as we step away from each other.

“funny how these things work.” Sans keeps grinning as he turns to go sit down. I start to follow when a deep voice stops me in my tracks.

“I haven’t seen that emblem in many, many years.” There was a deep regal authority in that voice that made my spine straighten like a steel rod, posture that had been drilled into me at a very young age. I carefully turn around to find the King standing behind me, his eyes regarding me cautious curiosity. Vaguely I note that the Queen is standing off to his side, watching the interaction but keeping out of it for now. “Your last name wouldn’t happen to be Silvius would it?”

“Yes, your Majesty.” The response was out of my mouth before I had time to think on it, reflexive despite never personally meeting either royalty. The tattoo sitting proudly between my shoulder blades burned, as if reminding me of its existence. As if I could ever forget that sitting securely between those bones was the Delatrune in the center of a shield with four solid stars curved over the top.

“No need to be so formal General. Even your father called me Asgore.” A warm grin spreads across the goat monster’s face as he moves closer to me. There is a hint of sadness in his eyes. I can feel Sans and Papyrus staring holes into my back, but I don’t dare face them. “It’s good to see that Elias got to finally have that family he always wanted. Though if you bare that mark then I must assume that he is no longer with us.”

I hadn’t heard that name in such a long time that I’m shocked that it still cuts my soul like a knife. All I can do is give the King the smallest of nods, unable to speak as sadness overtakes his expression and he bows his head. The Queen steps forward, putting a comforting hand on her husband’s shoulder.

“You have my condolences. He was a great leader, and an even greater friend.” My back remains ram rod straight, and I swallow down the fresh wave of pain that washes over me at the King’s mourning.

“Thank you, he thought the same of you as well.” I can’t relax or take my eyes of the King and Queen before me, almost like I was locked into place without my own permission.

“If it is all right, is there any chance you could come back by the embassy soon? We need to discuss your position as well as what remains of the Royal Army.” The Queen’s voice is soft and she smiles softly, sad understanding in her warm eyes. “Until then, this is a wedding, a cause for celebration. We can leave these darker topics for another day. Enjoy yourselves, it is a beautiful evening.”

I watch as the Queen leads her husband away, his shoulders slumped as she speaks softly to him. It isn’t until they slip out of my direct line of sight that I feel my spine relax out of the rigid military stance I had taken at the beginning of the conversation. I can feel three pairs of eyes burning on me, two burning holes into my back and one filled with concern. Slowly I turn to face the table once more.

“so….general huh.” Sans breaks the silence that had fallen over the four of us. I feel my mouth pull into a flat line as I try to refrain from chew on my bottom lip. It was a habit that had left me bleeding many times before, there was no need to ruin this dress.

I look to Grillby, seeing his flames muted as he watches me. He nods and that is the courage I need to speak again.

“Wanna get some fresh air? It’s a little stuffy with all these monsters in here?” I look to Papyrus, then Sans. Papyrus is watching me closely with a small frown of concern pulling at his brow bones. Sans is shifting from one leg to the other, looking at me as if he was trying to solve a puzzle. My soul twists as they both remain silent for a beat too long.

“Fresh Air Would Be Nice, I Believe I Saw The Doors To The Balcony This Way.” Papyrus is the first to break the silence, offering me his arm. I hesitantly take it, carefully placing my hand in the crook of his elbow. As soon as I do, he begins to lead me through the sea of tables and monsters to the outer edge of the room. I glance back as we walk to see Sans following at a relaxed pace. He smiles reassuringly when his eye lights meet my gaze.

I take a deep breath when we finally step out onto the balcony, sucking in the fresh air to calm my nerves. It had just gotten dark; we had just missed twilight and the sky was turning a dark navy as the moon peaked out behind a few stray clouds. It really was a beautiful evening.

I watch the sky for a few moments before turning to lean my back on the balcony and face the two skeletons that were standing behind me. Sans had closed the double doors behind him as he stepped through to give us some privacy. I’m not sure how long the three of us stand there in silence. It could have been a few minutes or an hour, I couldn’t tell. All I could feel was my soul fluttering nervously in my chest like a wild finch in a birdcage. My hand absently rests over it in an attempt to calm down.

“There Is A Lot We Do Not Know About You.” Papyrus’s voice softly breaks the silence. He is standing straight, but his posture is relaxed. Nothing in his voice gives away if he is upset or not. I pull my hand away from my chest and tug on one of my braids.

“I could say the same about the two of you.” My voice is tight and sounds quiet even to my ears. Sans and Papyrus share a look as if they are silently conversing between one another. When they look back at me, I feel my soul swell with the warmth in their eye lights.

“i think we would like to change that. if that is ok with you.” Sans smiles easily, shoving his hands in his suit pockets and relaxing into his usual slumped posture. My soul does flips as I feel myself smiling as well.

My smile turns to a grin as Papyrus brings both of his hands up to rest on his sternum, his eye lights shining hopefully. Sans rubs absently at his chest as well, his held tilting curiously to the side.

“I think I’d like that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, after this chapter there is going to be a time skip. It will be a long one. I will make sure that is clear how long it is in the next chapter.   
> I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Even though it gave me so much trouble I did ultimately enjoy writing it.   
> I hope you have great rest of the week!   
> Thank you for reading! :)


	12. Time Marches On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy Crap Guys! Over 1400 hits?!?!? And 129 kudos?!?! I can't thank you enough! This is so awesome! Thank you so much to taking the time to read my story! 
> 
> So this is where the time skip occurs.  
> The chapter is a little short but needed for some set up, sorry in advanced. 
> 
> Not late this week :)

**~3 years later~**

I leaned back from the cake I was working on with a sigh, which turned into a groan as I stretched my back out, muscles sore from leaning at a weird angle for so long. I hated wedding season. I really did. Luckily this cake would be picked up later this afternoon, so I had time for all the last-minute touches it needed.

“Hey Boss Lady, Grill Man is here to see you.” Tony pokes his head into the decorating room. I snort at the nickname he had given my friend, Grillby couldn’t stand it and that is why it had stuck. Tony was odd like that, when he found a nickname he liked, he held onto it tooth and nail. “I can take over for you in here, go take a break. You’ve been working on this one for hours.”

“Thanks Tony.” I set down my piping bag and grab a rag to wipe down my arms. I move the reference photo where it is more easily seen and stand up, stretching my back and legs before moving to the door. Tony tagged me out with a high five as we moved past each other, chuckling as I reached the door and he headed for my abandoned stool.

I waved to Janet as I made my way through the kitchen, she waved back from where she was teaching a new hire how to ice cupcakes. The kitchen was now twice as large as it had been when I first opened the bakery. I had finally had the money a year and a half ago to expand the whole bakery into the building next door, doubling the kitchen space as well as the café out front. It was also possible to hire more help now that the bakery had become more popular.

It still made me smile to see the new kitchen, we could make a wider variety of goods faster with the addition help and ovens. My smile turned into a grin as I slipped out the door and into the café. Immediately I was greeted by the dull roar of customers the loitered about, either waiting to order or sitting at the tables enjoying themselves. When I had expanded, I had also decided to change the seating in the café so that both monsters and humans could sit comfortably. There was an even mixture of human sized tables and monster sized tables that ranged from sizes big enough to hold monsters like Undyne to small enough that a whimsun could sit comfortably.

I followed the scent of caramel and whisky to find my friend sitting quietly at window booth toward the back corner of the café. Grillby had already gotten his usual order as well as a cup of tea for me. This had become our usual routine, sharing a late breakfast together before he crossed the street to open the bar before the lunch rush. It was something we both came to expect and enjoy.

“Good morning Grillby.” I say quietly as I slide into the seat across from him. His mouth splits into a warm smile as he pushes the teacup to my side of the table.

“Morning my dear.” Grillby’s voice crackled lightly as he picked up his cup of coffee, sipping it. With that we settled into quiet conversation, enjoying the company. We had grown closer over the years, Grillby almost vehemently taking up the mantel as a father figure to me. Even though I am an adult, I still welcomed the familial bond we had created.

We talked about everything from the rise in temperatures to the monthly farmers market in downtown. It was very relaxing.

“So how are you handling the sudden influx of customers my dear?” Grillby puts down his nearly empty coffee cup and props his chin up on the back of his hand, elbow resting on the table.

“I actually haven’t had that much of an increase in customers, business has been normal.” I hum softly, glancing around the café, a lot of my usuals are strewn about the space, talking or sitting quietly, enjoying their baked goods. “Besides my usual personal hell that is bridal season, everything has been calm on my end.”

“Hmm surely I would have thought your business would be booming with the sudden influx of new monster in the city. I know that I have had to open an hour early just to be able to accommodate them.” Grillby sits back in his seat as one of my new hires come over to refill his coffee and to swap out my teacup. “I have actually considered taking a page out of your book and expand my seating areas. It is getting way to crowded.”

“Well my sad little hovel doesn’t hold near the prestige as your grand establishment.” I drop my voice low, laying it on thick. I grin as Grillby chuckles, shaking his head ruefully. He picks up his fresh cup of coffee with a fond smile on his face.

Over the past week three new clans of monster have appeared from the underground, claiming to have broken their own barriers from deeper within the subterranean prison. The embassy was struggling to process and home the numerous monsters flooding the city. Trying to start the integration processes as well as the citizenship applications for so many monsters as caused a huge backlog to paperwork. Not to mention that at any given hour the embassy building itself was filled to maximum capacity. Because of this I had been avoiding visiting the embassy, preferring to send in my paperwork via email.

Ever since meeting the King and Queen at Undyne and Alphys’s wedding, I had been at the embassy at least once a week. The King had decided to employ me to work not only with AGM (aboveground monster) relations and integration but to also help the captain with the royal guard when I was able. I didn’t mind as long as it didn’t interfere with my bakery or time with my friends. Don’t get me wrong, if the King or Queen ordered or requested me to do something, I would do it. You didn’t lose the position of General just because there was no army to lead. It was something you carried to the grave.

While I worked with the embassy, I had managed to effectively stay out of the mess that was the new monster clans. Though I had a feeling that I would be dealing with it sooner rather than later. I just hoped with wouldn’t be too soon. I had been up to my ears with wedding orders since the start of June, pulling many all-nighters and getting very little sleep. Much to the chagrin of my Grillby and my mates. The thought always made me smile softly.

I hummed softly as I realized I hadn’t really heard from Sans and Papyrus all week. Granted I had been beyond busy and I was sure so were they.

“I’m sure business will be picking up soon considering you are the only business in the city that offers a unique fusion of monster and human food.” Grillby hums thoughtfully behind the lip of his cup. I carefully add the needed honey to my fresh cup of tea before taking a small sip. Grillby casually checks the time on his watch before sighing softly, the sound coming out in a light hiss. “Looks like it is time to go open the bar.”

“It was great to be able to sit and talk with you as always.” I stand up as he does, stepping forward to hug him tightly.

“Don’t over work yourself my dear. You are going to see the boys tomorrow right?” Grillby softly nuzzles the top of my head and I rest my cheek on his chest, listening to the crackle of his flames and the soft hum of his soul. “Send them my love, I haven’t got to visit with Sans much this week, everyone has been so busy.”

“I will, see that you don’t over to it either.” I chuckle softly, giving him one last squeeze before stepping away. I pick up my teacup and walk him to the door, saying one last goodbye before making my way back to the decorating room to take over the last parts of the wedding cake.

The rest of the workday was spent in the decorating room, finishing up the wedding cake I had been working on before taking a call to hash out the design of a new order that had come in. I had spent hours on the phone with a sketch book in front of me, trying to get a solid feel for what the customer wanted. They were from out of town but would be holding their ceremony at the large cathedral in the central part of the city. They would be doing phone calls and video chats up until the week before the wedding and I would be sending regular updates on the progress of their cake. It was a little frustrating, but I was kind of proud that my little bakery’s name had spread far enough that people who didn’t live near by wanted to request a cake.

I thanked the stars that my next order didn’t need to be worked on until Monday as I locked up the bakery for the night. Tony had left with the last of the workers about an hour ago, I had stayed behind to finish out the paper work needed for the next order as well as make sure the payment was processed from the last one.

Carefully, I pulled on my riding leathers before sliding onto my bike to head home for the night. I was definitely looking forward to my day off. A sigh escaped my lungs as I pulled into the parking garage of the old apartment building I had been calling home for a little over five years. Though it didn’t quite feel like home any more since the skeleton brothers had moved out little under a year ago. They had moved to a rather large house at the edge of the city, hugging the base of the mountain and the national forest that surrounded it. Both had been itching for more space, having been stuck in closer quarters both above and below ground.

It had taken some time for them to find the house they had wanted. Sans wanted a large amount of space inside for an at home lab and all of his books, and Papyrus had wanted a large amount of land to build puzzles and train on not to mention a huge kitchen to cook in. I thought the three story house was a little bit of over kill but Sans had assured me that not only was it not, considering what they wanted to do with the space but also putting into perspective that they wanted to move me in as soon as I was able. He had wanted to make sure I had enough of my own space to do what I wanted with. Which I thought was sweet of him. It was no secret at this point that I had spent most of my life living in back alleys, tiny apartments, and old shacks. My current apartment was the nicest place I had ever lived outside of the small childhood cabin my grandfather had raised me in. Still, three stories were a little bit much in my opinion.

After they had finally settled into their new house, both skeletons started to try to get me to move in with them. We had found out the night of the wedding that the three of us had a special connection, our souls called out to one another. They were the one thing I had never expected to find. My soulmates. It had taken a little bit to come to terms with that revelation, as it was something both rare and beautiful, meant to be treasured. But also, intense and kind of scary. Especially after being on my own for so many years. But the soul wants what the soul wants, and it was a bond that wasn’t easily broken. Not that any of us had wanted to.

We had agreed to let the bonds settle and grow at our own pace. We didn’t feel rushed to complete the bonds immediately. Sans and Papyrus both agreed when I suggested that we got to know each other better first. So, for the past three years we had been letting the soul bonds strengthen and grow at a comfortable rate that we all felt at ease with. It has been an amazing experience that I treasured every second of. Thought the past year had been trying. I had gotten very used to them being right next door, on the other side of my living room wall. While I had wanted to move into the new house as soon as they were settled, but I had to wait out the lease on my apartment before I could move. Sadly, said lease had been renewed a month before they had found the house.

Until then we had settled on spending as much time as possible together being on opposite sides of the city from each other. It made my soul ache from the distance. Being this far without our bonds completed made it a little difficult to feel each other’s emotions like we had grown used to. That coupled with the radio silence this past week made anxiety spike sharply in my soul as I glanced that the empty apartment door next to my own before walking inside to settle down for the night.

Once I put my bag away and slipped of my riding leathers, I scooped my phone from my purse. There were no new messages, so I flipped quickly to my contacts.

**BellaLuna:** _‘Are we still on for breakfast tomorrow? Haven’t heard from you two in a while.’_

I pocketed my phone before moving to my bedroom to grab some pajamas to change into after my shower. I didn’t hear it ping until I was already halfway through my shower. Waiting until I was completely dry and clothed, I picked my phone back up from my sink. I glanced in the mirror, studying the dark bags under my eyes that we accented by my birth marks. Damn I needed to sleep more. My glamour had slipped easily away when I had gotten home, I no longer had to actively dismiss or summon it. It was almost unconscious at this point. With a sigh I glance down at my phone.

**SunShine:** _‘Of course! Sorry, we have been busy with the new monsters. The embassy called us in to help out, they need all the extra hands they can get.’_

Yeah, they did, I was lucky they hadn’t called me in yet.

**BellaLuna:** _‘I bet they do! It looked insane last time I passed by!’_

I moved out of the bathroom to settle on my couch, a towel carefully sitting over my hair as I started to dry it. My phone went off once more.

**SunShine:** _‘Yes they are quite busy. Sorry for worrying you.’_

**BellaLuna:** _‘It’s all good. Miss you guys is all. See you tomorrow bright and early?’_

I made sure my hair was completely dry before brushing it out meticulously to make sure there were no tangles in it. I was almost done when my phone pinged again.

**SunShine:** _‘Bright and early Firefly. We both miss you too.’_

I grin down at my phone as I get up to put away my brush and towel. I should probably head to bed now, I wanted to get up extra early to make the drive across the city.

**BellaLuna:** _‘Goodnight Sunshine.’_

The reply was almost instant as I plugged my phone in before burying myself in the nest of soft pillows and blankets on my bed.

**SunShine:** _‘Goodnight Firefly.’_

I fell asleep with a smile on my face. I would get to see my skeletons tomorrow; nothing could mess that up.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the real fun begins :3
> 
> I hope you guys have enjoyed the past couple chapters :)   
> Have a great week everyone!


	13. And Then There Were 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know it is very very late! But these past two weeks has been kinda crazy between doctor appointments and travel. But I got nothing but good news from my doctor, so that is great!   
> Here is a chapter with the new skellys.   
> I tried my best. I was a little worried about messing up so it took me a bit to hash it all out. So here it is.   
> I hope you enjoy!

Five AM came way too early for me. I had spent most of the night tossing and turning, hardly able to sleep but a couple hours. Groaning at my phone as I turned off my alarm, I crawled out of the small nest of blankets I had wrapped around my body in the night. Sleep has been harder and harder to come by lately. I wasn’t sure if it was because I was just so busy that I couldn’t get my body to shut down properly or if it was because of an unknown stress I hadn’t become conscious of yet. Either way, something would have to give soon, I was running on little to no sleep for far too long.

Slowly I moved around my room to gather the clothes I wanted to wear. Grabbing a pair of high waisted jeans and a black crop top Sans had gotten me last valentines’ day. It was sleeveless and said, “Do you even sift, bro?” I had laughed while Papyrus lectured him not only for giving me a gift with a pun on it but because he had given me a shirt for valentines’ day. Apparently, it wasn’t an appropriate gift for such an important day. I loved it regardless.

Looking at the shirt gave me a small boost of energy as I quickly hunted down my combat boots and a pair of socks. I was going to get to spend all day with the two of them. I quickly pulled my hair into a loose braid down my back. Despite my exhaustion, I was able to get ready quickly and soon found myself in my riding leathers and on my bike with my glamour in place. The 45-minute drive across the city was fairly quiet. It was the early hours of a Sunday morning. There were very few beings on the road.

My soul thrummed happily as I pulled up the gravel drive that lead to the house. I could feel Sans and Papyrus’s answering thrum of excitement and oddly enough anxiety. This made me frown as I slowly got off my bike and putting away my helmet. Was everything ok? Cautiously, I approach the front door, looking around the front of the house to see if anything had changed since I had been there a week ago. A faint smell on the wind caused my frown to deepen. I tilted my head and inhaled deeply to try to catch the smell better, but the soft breeze quickly blew it away.

I paused at the door, something felt different. The air was charged, the house didn’t seem as empty as it was before. After a calming breath, and glancing around the front of the house, I opened the door and stepped into the entry way.

“Hello?” I called out into the house, not leaving the entryway quiet yet. Something had shifted. Hesitantly, I inhaled deeply. And was immediately overwhelmed, my eyes widening, and I could feel my pupils dilate.

The usual comforting triad of scents that blanketed the house was gone, replaced by a cacophony of differing scents that ranged all over the spectrum. Anger, fear, joy, excitement, claiming, territorial, all the above. It all assaulted my nose at once, almost making me sneeze as I felt an immediate headache settle behind my eyes.

There were guests in the house. A lot of them. Not all of them were happy about being there. I opened my mouth to call out again, almost too overwhelmed to move from the entryway, but a crackle of familiar magic made me pause. Sans appeared in front of me looking tired but thrilled to see me.

“mornin’ sugar plum.” Sans’s welcoming grin immediately fell as he took me in. Before I could say anything, he rushed forward to wrap me in his arms. “stars i forgot how sensitive your nose is.”

I wrapped my arms around him and started to take deep, even breaths. Wintergreen and cedar enveloped my senses and I closed my eyes. Stars above I needed this, I didn’t know how much until I had it. Sans rested his chin on top of my head, I could feel soft breaths ruffling my hair and matched his steady breathing. He didn’t need to breath, but I knew he was doing it for my sake. Slowly I begin to back up to allow my nose time to adapt to all the smells in the house. Sans’s scent being the most predominant went a long way in helping me.

“better?” Sans smiles down at me once I can stand at arm’s length, finally able to breath normally without being overwhelmed. I nod and smile back softly. Sans chuckles and tugs at my braid playfully. “good, cause there are some people you gotta meet. i think paps has everyone in the living room.”

“Do these people have anything to do with why I haven’t heard from you all week?” I tuck myself under Sans’s arm and let him lead me down the hallway to the large living room. I peak at Sans from the corner of my eye. He looks a little sheepish, cyan dusting his cheek bones.

“yeah they have really kept us on our **skele** -toes. it’s been pretty hectic around here since they showed up.” Sans rubs the back of his skull, looking exhausted. “we were gonna tell you but got really busy. that and paps said you had a lot of orders this week. this isn’t something you explain over the phone and i knew you would want to come help. you’ve got enough on your plate as is sugar plum.”

“Sounds like your plate is pretty full too, love.” I look at him in concern. He looks like has gotten just about as much sleep as I have this past week. I want to reach up and run my thumb over the dark blue bruises under his eye sockets, but we are almost to the living room and I could hear multiple voices speaking at once. Some are low and quiet, others loud and booming, all of them trying to talk at once and overpower the others. The air is charged with multiple magic signatures that crackle with volatility and charged emotions. We pause a few feet from the doorway, I turn to face my mate to give us a moment before jumping into the fray. “What’s the damage?”

“we have six new house guests. some are a little rougher around the edges than others. they know you are coming to visit but that is it.” Sans keeps his voice low but loud enough that I can hear him over the yelling in the room next to us. I hum softly looking at the doorway briefly before looking back to Sans.

“So, they don’t know who I am or about this?” I motion from my sternum to his, indicating the bond between us.

“no. at least not yet. figured a clean slate would be best.” Sans shrugs nonchalantly as I raise an eyebrow at him. There was another reason he hadn’t said anything, but the look on his face said he wouldn’t tell me right now. I’d have to get it out of him later. One more glance at his exhausted slump, maybe after a nap or a full night’s rest.

“Alright.” I take a deep breath through my mouth so to not overwhelm my senses again and straighten my back. Pulling my shoulders back, I let my posture relax slightly to appear confident but non-threatening. From the sound of some of the voices echoing in the living room, the new guests wouldn’t react well to a threat. “Let’s get this over with so we can have breakfast.”

“i’ll go first, follow after we get everyone settled down.” I nod as Sans steps around me and through the doorway. Immediately, the voices get louder and a few others start as well. It is almost impossible to pick out any one individual among the cacophony of noise. I wince at a few loud screeches cut through, someone screaming in annoyance.

“ENOUGH! EVERYONE BE QUIET.” I could pick out Papyrus’s voice any day, but this was the loudest I had heard from the tall skeleton in years. Last time had been when we went to a MTT concert and got separated in the crowd. He had yelled so I could find him in the mass of bodies. I could taste the magic he put behind his voice from where I stood in the hallway.

The room fell into stunned silence and I took that as my cue to walk into the room. Carefully I walked into the room to survey the situation. Eight skeletons were scattered about the large living room. Sans casually leaned against the wall next to the doorway, his hands shoved into his hoodie pockets and his fur-lined hood pulled over his skull. He was slumped far enough that the hood cast a shadow, hiding his face in darkness. He wore his signature blue hoodie and a pair of black sweatpants and the sneakers I had gotten him last Gyftmas, untied. To someone who didn’t know him, he looked relaxed, almost like he was dozing off. But I could see the hard set of his shoulders and the careful foot he had resting against the wall to push off if he needed to move quickly.

Papyrus stood a few feet in front of me, hands on his hip bones, feet apart as if he was trying to block the route to the door. Today he was dressed in tan slacks and a soft yellow polo shirt with navy oxfords. His back was to me as I stepped in, but he glanced over his shoulder to flash me a brilliant megawatt smile. Before I could return my mate’s smile, there is a cry of delight followed by a blur of bright blue barreling toward me from one of the couches. Out of instinct, I sidestep before the blur can make contact with my chest.

“HUMAN!” The blur stumbles before coming to a skidding stop in the doorway I just walk through. I cover the ear closest to what I can now see is a skeleton bouncing with pent up excitement. With a careful couple of steps, I move so I have my back to Sans but can keep the rest of the room within my line of sight.

The skeleton is a few inches shorter than Sans and is dressed in a baby blue tee shirt, dark blue jeans, white high-top converse and a darker blue bandana tied around his neck. He was built thinner, much more athletic despite his more rounded and younger looking face. It looked almost like he hadn’t quite lost his baby fat, despite being made of bone. His baby blue eye lights were blown wide and seemed to flicker rapidly between what could have been stars and the usual circles. I held my ground as he bounded toward me after he regained his balance.

“GREETINGS HUMAN! I AM THE MAGNIFICANT BLUEBERRY!” Shit. Did he have to scream at me? I feel my face twist slightly as my ears start to ring. “BUT YOU CAN CALL ME BLUE FOR SHORT! IT IS NICE TO MEET YOU!”

“I’m Luna.” I school my features into a polite smile and put out my hand to shake his. Blue grabs my hand and shakes it vigorously; I quickly adjust my stance so that I am not thrown around by the wild movement.

“WOW YOU HAVE REALLY PURPLE EYES! WHAT’S ALL OVER YOUR ARMS? YOUR HAIR IS REALLY LONG! DO YOU-“ Just when I don’t think I can take anymore, a hand appears on Blue’s shoulder and gently tugs him back.

“easy there bro. don’t want to overwhelm her.” I follow the hand up to a tall skeleton wearing a burnt orange hoodie and acid washed jeans with black skater shoes. He was pretty tall but was slumped forward as if he didn’t have the energy to stand upright. He had light orange eye lights and a sucker was held loosely between his teeth. “the name is stretch.”

I nod in greetings before glancing to look at the other four skeletons. Two sat on the couches furthest from the door. One sat slumped down as far as he could go in the corner of the couch, the other was perched carefully on the arm of the couch furthest away. The other two were standing behind the couch. Stretch follows my gaze with his eye lights, still holding onto to his brother’s shoulder.

“that over there is edge.” Stretch points over to the tall skeleton standing behind the one slumped down on the couch. Edge was slightly taller than Papyrus but built brawnier. He was all sharp edges and angles. He wore something that looked similar to Papyrus’s battle body, but this was black with red lining and sharp shoulder plates that stuck out to the sides with a tattered red scarf wrapped around his neck. He had on black pants that were held up by a spiked belt along with bright red knee-high boots. Underneath it all he had a black body suit that clung to his bones tightly. Edge is scowling at us, his crimson eye lights never leaving me. He had three large gashes running through his left eye socket from the crest of his brow bone to the corner of his sharp fangs. His entire body language screamed anger, power, and confidence. His only greeting was a sneer.

“red.” Stretch gestures to the skeleton slumped onto the couch in front of Edge. Red looked very similar to Sans except I could tell that he was at least half a foot taller than my mate, his bones much thicker. He wore a black parka with cream colored fur lining the hood. I could see red accents on the front as well as an emblem I couldn’t quite make out from this distance. He had black basketball shorts with yellow stripes down the sides and a pair of black and white tennis shoes that were untied. Around his neck was a black collar with silver spikes. Instead of flat blunt teeth, all of his were shard and pointed, much like a shark’s, with one false gold one sitting close to the right corner of his mouth. Scarlet eye lights looked me over cautiously despite the relaxed smile on his face.

“sup.” Red’s voice was deep, and I could hear a slight accent that I couldn’t quite place. He gave me a nod that was nothing more than a sharp jerk of his chin upward. I returned the nod as I slipped my hands into the front pockets of my jeans.

“that’s black.” At his name, the skeleton sitting on the arm of the couch sits straighter. He is perched gracefully with his legs crossed and hands resting on top of one another on his knees. Even sitting down, I could tell he was the shortest and smallest out of all the skeletons in the room. Black was thin and sharp, also wearing a black battle body. His shoulder plates were jagged and sharp, the edges lined with gold. A well-cared for maroon bandana was tied securely around his neck. He had on a black rash guard underneath and a pair of black leather pants and a red belt. His boots were dark red thigh highs with sharp four-inch heels that had gold embellishments on them. Razor sharp teeth we set in a neutral line as he regarded me across the room with neon blue eye lights, a deep set of cracks crisscrossing over his right eye socket. Black offered no greeting, not even shifting on his perch which made me raise an eyebrow at him in question.

“and behind him is mutt.” Stretch nods to the extremely tall skeleton standing behind Black like a guard dog. Mutt is easily the tallest out of the eight, though with how he is slouched forward he looks about the same height as Stretch. He has on a dark rust colored, ribbed turtleneck sweater with a fitted black hooded vest that has thick dark yellow fur lining the inside of the hood. Mutt also has on a pair of black Tripp pants with rust colored straps and gold chains hanging from the waist and side pockets, crisscrossing in around the front and back. I can see a pair of black combat boots peeking out around the corner of the couch. He has no cracks on his skull, but I can see four large fangs, two on top and two on the bottom. The left one has been replaced with gold and the rest of his teeth are tapered off into delicate points that slot easily together. Mutt doesn’t say anything but takes his hand out of a fur lined pocket and gives me a mock salute. I can see a thick dark red collar over the top of the turtleneck with thick black spikes and a set of gold dog tags hanging from the black D-ring.

“they’re our cousins.” Sans made his way to my side and gestured to the other skeletons with a wave of his arm. I look at the six new skeletons, taking note of their appearances and key repeating features. Edge looks like Papyrus went shopping at HotTopic and filed his teeth into points. Blue looks like an optimistic, caffeine hyped, softer version of Sans.

“Yeah. No. Gonna have to call BS on that one love.” I cross my arms over my chest and stand with my hip cocked. I give Sans my best ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ look. The room is dead silent for all of 10 seconds before Sans breaks down laughing. Like really laughing. I can see blue tears collecting in the corner of his sockets as he wraps his arms around his chest and doubles over. I snort and shake my head, grinning as I watch him lose it.

“i- snrk. i told you she- oh stars! she wouldn’t fall for it.” Sans gasps out between rolling laughter. He braces himself on my shoulder, laughing until he can’t breathe. Not that he needs to. The other skeletons are staring at him as he laughs.

I look up and watch Papyrus walk over with a fond smile on his face. He reaches for me, chuckling softly, and pulls me into a tight hug.

“Never change Firefly.” Papyrus murmurs into my hair as he nuzzles the top of my head. I wrap my arms around him and nuzzle into his sternum, deeply inhaling sandalwood and citrus. After a moment, Papyrus steps away and holds me out at arm’s length. “Now that introductions are over, how about we start on breakfast?”

I grin up at my tall mate but notice out of the corner of my eye, the other skeletons are staring, wide socketed, at him. They look like he grew a second head or started speaking another language. I quirk an eyebrow at Papyrus who only winks at me. I’ll ask later.

“Sounds like a plan to me. Did you get a chance to go to the Farmer’s Market yesterday?” I glance over at Sans who has finally calmed down, wiping blue tears from his cheek bones. I shake my head, smirking at him. “You better explain everything later bone boy.”

“i will. i will.” Sans holds up his hands in surrender and grins at me.

“Actually, yes I did. A lot of fresh fruit are in season right now. I made a point to grab some.” Papyrus trails a hand down my arm before interlacing his fingers with mine.

“Awesome. Does anyone have any allergies?” I look around at the other skeletons who are still kind of staring at Papyrus. I finally make it to Blue and Stretch, only Blue shakes his head ‘no’ and I guess that means none of them did. “Good. Then let’s get started. Sans you good with cutting up fruit?”

“i think i can do a **slice** job.” Sans winks at me as four groans of exasperation echo through the room.

“OH! HUMAN! PLEASE LET ME HELP WITH BREAKFAST!” I flinch at Blue’s loud voice but smile at him none the less as well as ignoring the fact he called me human again. I was used to it at this point and had yet to release my glamour since showing up. He would learn eventually.

“I think we could find something for you to do.” I turn and start to head out of the room at toward the kitchen, Papyrus following close behind, still holding my hand. I don’t have to look to know Sans is following as well and a more leisurely pace.

We walk into the large kitchen with a few of the other trailing behind. Blue is once again vibrating with energy as he bounds into the room with Stretch following slowly behind before moving to sit at the breakfast bar. I let go of Papyrus’s hand and move to the fridge while he breaks away to head to the pantry. As I walk by the counter, the cutting board and a knife from the magnetic holder on the wall are encased in a blue glow and start floating to the island where Sans is standing. I easily duck under the floating objects and open the fridge to start pulling out ingredients.

I don’t even look up from my search as I hold out different fruits, waiting to feel them encased in Sans’s tingling magic before letting them go and reaching for more. A basket of strawberries, a bag of peaches, some plums, raspberries. Once all the fruit is out, I start grabbing cold ingredients for crepes. I hear movement behind me and pause for a second, know that Papyrus was striding past with his arms full of ingredients from the pantry. After he is past me, I straighten up and move to the island next to Sans to set down the things in my arms.

He as already started to wash the fruit off in the sink and put them aside to be sliced up. I look around and notice that Mutt as slid onto the bar stool next to Stretch while Black is leaning against the counter on the other side of the kitchen, watching us closely. Red has taken up residence on the last bar stool and Edge is standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, glaring at everyone in the room. Tough crowd.

I turned to start searching the lower cabinets for the blender. The cabinets were pretty tall, they lined the wall from floor to ceiling except for where the countertop ran around the room. Only Papyrus and the other tall skeletons could reach the upper ones without magic or climbing. Papyrus was showing Blue how to whisk the eggs without flinging them across the room. I turned to check the cabinets under the island as well, huffing when I couldn’t find the blender. It had to be in one of the upper cabinets out of my reach.

“Babe, have you seen the blender.” I close the cabinet I was looking in and turn to face Papyrus. His back is turned to me, but I know he is grinning. He is the one who organizes the kitchen, I know he knows where it is.

"The last time I saw it, I believe it was in the Cabinet to the right of the refrigerator, second from the top.” I could hear the grin in his voice. Oh, this skeleton. Sneaky, sneaky skeleton.

“I swear you do this on purpose.” I grumble as I move to the counter next to the fridge and climb onto the counter, careful to keep my boots hanging over the edge. I kneel and stretch up to reach for the cabinet door.

“Do what on purpose Firefly?” Papyrus’s voice comes from behind me and I roll my eye at the faked innocence in his voice. I can barely reach the bottom of the shelf, but I can see the edge of blender. I squeak when I feel Papyrus grab my hips and carefully lift me up so I can safely reach the blender. With an exasperated sigh, I grab the blender and shoot Papyrus a glare over my shoulder as he steps back to set me onto the floor. He only grins ‘innocently’ at me before moving back to assist Blue.

I stick my tongue out at Papyrus’s back as I set up the blender on the island and plug it in to start mixing the crepe batter. I can feel five sets of eyes watching me as I work, making sure the batter is blended completely. So far, none of the new skeletons, aside from Blue, had really spoken. I had expected a lot more talking especially after the yelling match I heard from the hallway earlier. But oddly enough, they were all silent as they watched us make breakfast.

Edge and Black seemed to be trying to stare holes through my very being, well more Edge than Black. Black seemed to be trying to pick me apart with his mind. Stretch sat slumped back on the bar stool, watching his brother carefully as Papyrus led him through the process of making scrambled eggs. With how much trouble he was having, I was reminded of the first few times I cooked with my mate. It had been a catastrophe. Luckily, Papyrus seemed to be having better luck than I did with catching Blue before he made too much of a mess.

Red sat leaned forward, his chin resting on his crossed arms atop of the island. Lazy scarlet eye lights following me as I moved to grab a bowl from the cabinet by the oven. When I made eye contact with him, he winked, which caused me to raise a brow at him in question. His response was to wiggle his brow bones suggestively. With an eye roll, I pour the batter into the bowl and turn to move over to the stove. 

A pan had already been placed on a burner for me, so I immediately turn on the gas and light the burner with a snap of my fingers. As I reach up to grab a spatula from the rack above the stove, my shirt riding up slightly, I hear Red speak up from behind me.

“’ey doll, nice tats, can i see ‘ow far down they go?” The deep rumble traveled easily across the room and I snorted before pouring some batter into the pan.

“As if I haven’t heard that one a million times before. Try again. And do try to be original this time.” I don’t even look up from my task as I swirl the batter around to evenly coat the pan bottom. I hear Sans snort.

“did it ‘urt when ya ‘ell from th’ vending machine?” Red pauses for a moment for effect. “cuz ya a snack.”

"If I’m only a snack then you must be a crumb.” I grin as I carefully flip the crepe over to cook the other side. Both Blue and Papyrus snicker beside me. Once the crepe is done, I slide it onto the waiting plate and glance over my shoulder at the skeletons behind me. Red has sat up in his seat but is leaning forward, eye lights gleaming. Stretch is watching with his skull resting on one hand and Mutt’s eye lights are darting back and forth like he was watching a tennis match.

“did ya sit on a pile o’ sugar? cause ya got a pretty sweet ass.” I roll my eyes at Papyrus who chuckles softly.

“I swear it’s like you don’t even have the brain cells to think for yourself.” I deposit another crepe onto the plate. “I thought I said to try to be original. That one was so overused it isn’t even funny.”

“here’s one for you sugar plum.” I glance over my shoulder to see Sans leaning with his back against the counter, watching me with a grin. “if i had a star for every time you brightened my day, i’d have a galaxy in my hand.”

“Aw.” I slide the next crepe off the pan and turn to him, putting my hand to my chest dramatically. “Be still my beating heart.”

“’ey why did ya like his an not mine?” Red frowns over at Sans who grins toothily at him as he turns back to finish cutting up the fruit.

“because i’m special.” Sans says smugly, picking his knife back up.

“And that one was sweet.” I laugh softly and finish up the crepes as Red grumbles to himself. Stretch chuckles as he slides from his seat and saunters over to the stove.

“if you like sweet, i’ve got one for you.” Stretch leans against the counter next to me and pulls the sucker between his teeth.

"Ok, shoot.” I add the last of the batter to the pan.

“i value my breath so it would be nice if you didn’t take it away every time you walked by.” Stretch looks down at me with lidded sockets and winks. I chuckle softly and hip check him out of the way so I can put the last crepe onto the plate.

“nice.” Sans laughs from the island and shoots finger guns at Stretch who returns them with a cheesy grin. “i’ll have to remember that one.”

“And use it on who?” Papyrus rolls his eye lights as he steps away from the stove to put a pan of scrambled eggs on the island. “You know they never work on Firefly; her standards are way to high.”

“can’t fault a monster for trying.” Sans winks at me as I move over to him with the crepes.

“Down boy.” I wink back before turning back around to make sure the stove was turned off completely. Blue bounded past me with a plate of somewhat burnt bacon. “Alright, everyone grab a plate and we can head to the table to eat.”

I scoop up the crepes and a couple bowls of fruit and lead the way with Papyrus following closely behind me. Once everything is settled onto the large hard wood table, I quickly find a seat next to Sans, Blue quickly claiming the one next to me. Everyone except Edge settle in the remaining chairs. Edge remained in the doorway, glowering at the whole set up.

“THERE IS NO WAY I AM EATING THIS FILTH.” I jolted slightly in my chair when Edge finally spoke. His voice was higher than Red’s but held twice the volume of Blues. I suspected he was adding some of his magic to amplify it, adding a raspy effect to it. I raised an eyebrow at the angered skeleton and spoke up before anyone else could.

“Well that’s too bad, because it is either this or you go out and get something for yourself. We aren’t making something special just for you.” I reach out and start to show Blue how to put together a crepe with the fruit and fillings he wanted. Edge sputters indignantly from the doorway, seeming to unable to find the right words as his anger took over all of his features.

“I FOR ONE, FIND IT MORE THAN ADEQUATE.” Black smirks from the other side of the table, scooping some raspberries onto a crepe. His smirk turns into a grin as his eye lights fall onto Edge. “BUT FOR ONE WITH NO TASTE, I CAN IMAGINE IT ALL QUITE OVERWHELMING FOR YOU.”

“watch it tiny.” Red growls, fixing Black with a glare as he shovels some eggs onto his plate. Mutt stiffens in his seat, watching Red closely.

“I’LL SHOW YOU NO TASTE.” Edge growls and stomps over to take the open seat next to red. I roll my eyes at it all. Men. He begins violently making a plate, I silently hope he doesn’t break the ceramic.  
  


Black smiles smugly before winking in my direction and turning back to his own plate. I reach out and snatch a sliced strawberry from Sans’s plate to test the waters. The moment the sweet fruit hits my tongue, I hold back a gag. Nope no solids yet. With a sigh, I move to get up and go back to the kitchen.

“I’ve got it Firefly; do you want strawberry or chocolate this morning?” Papyrus carefully stands up, putting his napkin down on the table. I give him a grateful smile before leaning back in my chair, forcing myself to keep down the strawberry.

“Chocolate please and thank you.” I murmur softly as he walks by, patting the top of my head in passing.

“It is no trouble at all dear.” I feel Sans put a hand on my arm as I watch Papyrus disappear through the doorway.

“No solids this morning sugar plum?” I sigh and shake my head no, he frowns in concern, looking like he wants to say something else but refrains with a glance to the rest of the table. I smile reassuringly and he lets it drop and turns back to his plate. When Papyrus returns with my breakfast shake, I take it eagerly and sip from the metal straw.

I can feel eye lights watching me closely and look up to find not only Black but Stretch watching me. Black is eating his food delicately and Stretch is chewing on a piece of burnt bacon. There is a calculating gleam in Black’s eye light and I can tell that the exchange between Sans and I didn’t go completely unnoticed. Stretch is merely watching curiously as I sip at my drink. When I make eye contact with Stretch, he simply looks back down at his plate. Black acts like his is ignoring me and turns to say something in a hushed voice to Mutt, who only nods as he puts a fork full of fruit between his teeth.

The rest of breakfast passes in somewhat tense silence, only Blue and Papyrus talking. They were discussing different puzzle types as well as the works in progress in the backyard. Edge glared at everyone the whole time. Red kept his head down and ate his food in silence. Mutt didn’t say a word and only nodded when Black would say something to him too quiet for the rest of us to hear. Stretch nearly fell asleep on his empty plate but jolted awake when Blue scolded him. I sat quietly, sipping my shake and observing the skeletons in front of me while Sans ate silently at my side, carefully watching me to make sure I drank all of it.

When it was clear that everyone was finished, I stood up and started to gather empty plates. Sans stopped me with a hand on my arm.

“now none of that sugar plum, you know i got these. go get changed for your run.” The plates in my hands were enveloped by a dark blue glow as he picked up where I left off. I huff good naturedly before turning to leave.

“OH! YOU ARE GOING ON A RUN HUMAN?!” Blue bounces out of his chair excitedly. “CAN I COME WITH?!”

“maybe next time dude. it’s kinda her and my bro’s thing.” Sans puts a hand on his shoulder before he can bound after me. “trust me kid, they get real competitive. it’s best to just stay out of it.”

Papyrus is already moving across the room, grinning at me as Sans chuckles.

“I rearranged the clothes; your things are now in the top two drawers of my dark colored dresser.” I grin at Papyrus as he grabs a few plates of left-over food to put away.

“Thanks for the heads up.” I chuckle. Stretch frowns over at me.

“you keep clothes in papyrus’s room?” His tone is curious, but he looks a little upset.

“Well I can’t keep them in Sans’s room. I wouldn’t be able to find anything.” I roll my eyes, pausing in the doorway. 

“she isn’t wrong.” Sans laughs and moves toward the kitchen.

Quickly, I bound up the stairs into Papyrus’s room to change into a pair of jogging pants and loose tank top, stooping to grab my running shoes from the shoe rack in his closet. I had started keeping clothes over here as I found myself spending more time here rather than in my apartment. It made it a lot easier. I knew the guys had a room picked out for me for when I finally moved in, but it was still empty for now.

Papyrus passes me in the hallway, also going to change into something more appropriate to run in. I make it down the stairs and stop at the bottom to sit down and put my shoes on. A large shadow looming over me makes me pause and look up.

Edge is standing in front of me with his fists resting on his hip bones. His eye lights are small fierce little blips in his sockets. Before I can say anything, he is leaning over and into my face.

“Don’t Think I Don’t See That You’re Hiding Something, You Insignificant Whelp.” Edge growls, dropping his voice low. I can hear the others in the living room, moving around, some of them talking. Edge swipes his gloved hand forward and snatches up the front of my tank top to pull me closer to his fanged teeth. “I See Right Through You.”

I blink for a few moments, staring into the crimson eye lights. Is he really threatening me? I blink again and watch him smirk, seeming to take my silence as fear. Oh, this will be fun.

“Do you Edge?” I let a feral smile curl onto my lips, I can feel some of my magic crackle beneath my skin. “Do you really?”

Edge blinks down at me, surprise flickering over his face before he growls angrily and releases me to stomp up the stairs. I easily catch myself, so I don’t fall and settle back onto a step to finish tying my shoes. Wonder what crawled up his coccyx and bit him.

“Are you ready to go my dear?” Papyrus stops on the step next to me and offers me a hand to stand up.

“Yep. Are we taking the north trail up and then the south one down or are we going to try the west trail and chance the gorge?” I straighten out my tank top and tap my shoes against the floor to get them to fit better.

“How about north then west?” Papyrus grins with a mischievous glint in his eye lights. I smirk and raise an eyebrow at my mate.

“You must really want to win today.” I giggle and make my way to the front door with Papyrus.

"You scared Firefly?” Papyrus leans down to my height, smirking as he whispers.

“You wish.” I flash a fanged smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a taste of the new skeletons.  
> I hope you guys enjoyed it! Btw if you are wondering, the swap bros changed into clothes that Papyrus got them, but the fell and swapfell bros have yet to change into more normal clothes, preferring to stay in their original stuff. 
> 
> I hope I did them all justice so far and you guys like my take on these AUs.  
> Have a great week!


	14. You Puzzle Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So......I know it had been a while....too long really. And for that I am sorry. It started with mother nature spartan kicking me in the gut, followed by a head cold sucker punching me in the face. Then my husband got sick XD and I had to take care of him. Before I knew it, time had gotten away from me. 
> 
> But! As an apology, here is a long chapter for you guys!   
> I have actually been kind of anxious about this because I am worried about messing up the characters despite them being my interpretations of them. XD But anxiety isn't logical.

I push the mud room door open, laughing breathlessly as I carefully take off my running shoes, so I don’t track in the mud and dust that covered them. Papyrus is shaking his head and chuckling as he stoops to pull off his shoes as well. We are both laughing softly as we make our way down the hall to the living room.

Sans is sprawled out on one of the couches watching some true crime show. He sits up enough to look over the back of the couch and watch us come in.

“so, who won?” He slings his arm over the back of the couch to pull himself up into a sitting position.

“It was a draw sadly.” Papyrus stops in the doorway behind me, leaning against the frame. He puts the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically. “Alas we shall not know who is truly greater, I, The Great Papyrus, or the Lovely Luna.”

“I would have won if it hadn’t been for that stupid deer herd.” I giggle as I walk around to collapse onto the couch next to Sans.

“It is sadly true. I didn’t expect you to clear the gorge so easily. That was a miscalculation on my part. Luck was on my side today.” Papyrus pushes away from the doorframe. “Would you like to shower first?”

“Nah, you go ahead. I’m going to chill here for a bit. I can shower after lunch.” I wave a hand over the back of the couch and settle more comfortably into the corner of the couch next to Sans. I hear Papyrus leave the room and Sans settles back down on the couch, facing the tv again. “So, who killed who?”

Before he can reply he is interrupted by the sound of two sets of stomping feet come into the room.

“I INSIST THAT YOU DROP THE SUBJECT.” Black stomps into the living room, a bored expression his face but his body screamed agitation. Blue is following close behind with a black piece of cloth in his hands.

“COME ON BLACK. AT LEAST TRY IT ON!” Blue shakes the cloth at him as Black settles himself in the corner of a couch. “I UNDERSTAND THE WANT TO WEAR YOUR BATTLE BODY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I CAN EMPHASIZE FOR MY BATTLE BODY IS AS MAGNIFICANT AS I AM! BUT IT IS RUDE TO IGNORE THE CLOTHES THAT OUR HOSTS WENT THROUGH THE TROUBLE OF GETTING FOR ALL OF US!”

“I WILL REMOVE MY ARMOR WHEN I SEE FIT. NOW LEAVE ME BE AND DROP THE SUBJECT OR I WILL BE FORCED TO MAKE YOU DROP IT.” Black growls, arms crossed with gloved hands griping his rash guard tightly. He looks coiled, ready to spring up and strike at any moment. I can feel the low hum of magic in the air.

Blue opens his mouth to say something, but I decide to step in and try to diffuse the situation before it blows up and someone gets hurt.

“Hey Blue. Back off a bit. If he doesn’t want to wear the clothes, it is ok. I am sure Sans and Papyrus aren’t upset that he isn’t wearing them. There were probably bought so you guys would have the option if you wanted it.” I smile placatingly at the skeleton. Blue frowns thoughtfully.

“BUT THEY ARE SO COMFORTABLE! AND WE DON’T NEED OUR BATTLE BODIES ON THE SURFACE!” Blue turns to me, slightly confused. “WHY WOULDN’T BLACK AND EDGE WANT TO CHANGE CLOTHES IF THEY COULD?”

“What may be comfortable for you might not be comfortable for them.” I can feel Black’s eye lights on me as I speak, I look over to where he is sitting and give him an empathetic smile. “Old habits die hard, when you wear your armor every day it can be really hard to feel comfortable in anything else. I’m sure they will change clothes when they are ready.”

Blue looks down at the black cloth in his hand thoughtfully, I’m assuming it is a shirt of some kind that Papyrus had bought for Black.

“OK.” Blue grins at me and then nods resolutely at Black who is watching the room silently as if trying to pick apart the entire situation. “IT’S NOT LIKE THE CLOTHES WON’T BE HERE WHEN THEY ARE READY.”

With that Blue bounds out of the living room with more energy than anyone should ever have. Sans chuckles and shakes his head before turning back to the tv show. Black hasn’t taken his eyes off me, his eye sockets narrowed slightly with either suspicion or curiosity. I wasn’t quite sure.

After a few moments of silence Sans turns back to me and gestures to the show that was still playing on the tv.

“so as i was about to say-“

~~~

“He is going to run.”

“nah, he is classier than that.”

“They always run.”

“not always. maybe he will end the pattern.”

“Nope. He looks too twitchy.”

“come on, anyone would be nervous with those two huge cops in-“

“And we got a runner!” I cheer and clench a fist in victory. “I called it!”

“i just had to play devil’s advocate.” Sans sighs in mock disappointment as he slumps back into the couch cushion from where he had leaned forward in anticipation while watching the crime show in front of us.

I snicker and wrap my arms back around the pillow I had stolen from the couch Black still occupied. The show had caught his attention and other than the occasional question, he had been watching silently from the corner of the couch he had settled himself into. 

“DO YOU WANT THEM TO RUN?” Black frowns at the tv in confusion as one of the cops tackles the suspect to the ground.

“It makes it more interesting, and they are almost always guilty in some way if they run.” I grin at the skeleton as he raises a brow bone at me. “The chase scenes are almost always amusing.”

“BUT-“ Black starts to say something but is interrupted when Papyrus pokes his head through the doorway.

“Lunch is ready. It is sandwiches if that is ok with everyone? I already told the others.” Papyrus smiles softly.

“sounds good bro.” Sans starts to stand up, eye lights still on the tv, trying to see who the killer was. I grin at Papyrus as I set my pillow aside.

“I’ve already seen this one. The grandpa did it.” I quickly jump up and dart for the doorway at Sans’s cry of dismay, my grin growing larger as Papyrus shakes his head at me.

“you dirty cheat!” Sans yells after me but there is no true anger in his voice. I giggle as I follow Papyrus into the kitchen, knowing Sans and Black would probably follow.

Everyone else had already gathered in the kitchen, the three from before had taken up their spots at the island with a sandwich and some chips in front of them. Stretch had his skull rested on his folded arms, snoring softly with his plate untouched. Red was halfway through his sandwich and Mutt was quietly picking at his chips.

Blue was humming and cutting up some vegetables on the counter next to stove while Edge was grumbling from the other side of the counter as he angrily put together his sandwich. There was a sandwich waiting on a plate next to a bottle of ketchup on the island, Sans’s lunch I guessed as I moved to walk past Papyrus to get to the fridge. I still wasn’t quite feeling like I could eat something solid yet, so I was going to grab some of the supply I kept at their house to make myself another shake.

“Let me take care of it dear.” Papyrus intercepted me on the way across the kitchen in an attempt to maneuver me to the last empty bar stool at the island.

“No, you already put everything together for lunch, I can handle it just fine.” I try to wave him off and slip under his arm.

“I know you can handle it just fine, but I want to do it. So please sit down and let me take care of it.” Papyrus steps in front of me again and I frown up at him. I knew he was just wanting to be helpful, but I could tell that he hadn’t made his own food yet and it really wasn’t that hard to put together my own shake.

I could feel multiple pairs of eye lights on us as we stood, staring at each other, waiting for one of us to back down. Papyrus stood resolute, watching me steadily. I could tell really just wanted me to sit down, it always worried him when I couldn’t really eat anything solid, even monster food. Despite me reassuring him that it was all ok, it being a mixture of an old wound and being a vampire, Papyrus kept a careful eye light on me when it happened. But I didn’t want to be babied today.

I usually didn’t mind the extra help or doting but for some reason it kind of agitated me in this moment. Looking back it could have been a mixture of the long week I had had, the nauseating mixture of new scents that seemed to envelop the kitchen, and the fact that Edge was sneering at me from behind my mate. Or it could have just been my exhaustion catching up with me and my overall stubbornness.

Whatever it was, it made me squint up at Papyrus for a moment before I made to quickly dart past him to reach for the fridge handle. I should have expected what happened next. If I was being honest with myself, I was kind of hopping for the reaction I got, deep down.

I made it halfway to the fridge before a pair of hands grabbed my shoulders. A surprised yelp left me when they spun me around and dropped down to my hips. With a growl, Papyrus grabs my hips and turns to place me onto the island, his fingers digging in a little too harshly. I respond with my own growl in warning as he settles me on the edge of the counter. As soon as I am securely settled, I lean forward to sharply nip Papyrus’s jaw. He rumbles softly in response, bumping his teeth against my forehead before moving away to the fridge.

With a soft huff, I roll my eyes but remain sitting on the counter. I wasn’t upset, not really. I was kind of proud of Papyrus. He had made a lot of progress with reacting more instinctually. If this had been a couple years ago, he wouldn’t have reacted at all except for a cry of frustration.

The room is silent as Papyrus digs into one of the bottom drawers for a bag of the blood I kept in their house. Cold blood had an odd texture but worked well with the nutrient powder we had started mixing with it to make up for what I was missing from not feeding from the source. I watch as he carefully starts making the shake as discreetly as possible.

“anyone wanna tell me what just happened?” I look over my shoulder to see Stretch staring at me with wide eye sockets, startled out of his nap. Before I could answer Mutt speaks up.

“pap didn’t want her making her lunch, she didn’t listen.” Mutt nods to me, popping a chip into his mouth. Once he was finished chewing, he continued. “he grabbed too hard, she let him know and he apologized.”

Four skeletons were staring at Mutt at this point, who looked around with his brow bones raised. Sans a moved into the kitchen to lean against the island next to me with his sandwich and Black had walked over to take the plate that was sitting next to Mutt, sandwich already made.

“what, yall didn’t get that?” He tilted his head at me, gaze questioning. “did i read that wrong?”

“No, that was pretty much it.” I chuckle softly, Papyrus nods in agreement as he steps over with my shake in his hand having used the distraction to make it. I take it and sip at it as Blue bounds over excitedly, eye lights in the shape of stars as he looks at Mutt.

“WOW! YOU GOT ALL THAT FROM JUST A COUPLE OF GROWLS?” Blue put his hands together in front of himself, looking at Mutt in awe. Mutt scratches the back of his skull, looking away in embarrassment with a light dusting of amber.

“what can i say, they speak my language.” Mutt chuckles softly, picking up his sandwich so he can cover up his embarrassment by eating. Black rolls his eye lights as he takes his plate and sits in the open stool next to his brother.

“yeah, uh, sure. but skeletons don’t growl dude.” Stretch frowns as he reaches for his sandwich.

“i don’ know what rock ya lived under, but yeah they do.” Red snorted after he swallowed half of his sandwich and began reaching for some of his chips.

“He is right. Skeletons are more than capable of growling and making quite a few other sounds both aggressive and not. It all comes quite naturally to us.” Papyrus says as he moves over to the island with his own sandwich and some of the vegetables that Blue had been chopping up.

“A lot of monsters can growl and make many other noises.” I sip at my shake, angling my body so I can see all the other skeletons in the room. “It’s all a natural form of communication along with body language. I have even heard a bunny monster growl before.”

“no way.” Red’s brow bones fly up as he pauses with a chip halfway to his mouth.

“Yes way. Cutest thing I ever heard.” I giggle as I lean on one hand that was resting against the counter, holding my glass with the other. “They were trying so hard to be threatening but it just wasn’t working.”

“the only monster i have heard growl or anything like that would be alpha.” Stretch looks like he doesn’t believe any of us.

“OH YES THE CAPTAIN GROWLS AND GRUMBLES A LOT. ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE IS FIGHTING.” Blue chuckles as he finishes making his plate, adding the rest of the chopped vegetables. “BUT I AGREE WITH MY BROTHER, I HAVEN’T HEARD ANY OTHER MONSTER MAKE NOISES LIKE YOU JUST DID PAPYRUS. NOR HAVE I HEARD HUMANS SOUND QUITE LIKE THAT.”

I raise an eyebrow for a moment as I take another drink, feeling a vague sense of déjà vu wash over me. By now everyone but Edge has gathered around the island with their lunches and were either in the process of eating or had just started eating. Edge remained leaning against the counter he had made his sandwich at. I carefully put my glass down, feeling Edge’s eye lights boring into me as I sit up straighter and gather my thoughts.

“oh no, now you have done it.” Sans chuckles as he takes a sip from his ketchup bottle. “now she is going to use her teacher voice.”

“I don’t have a teacher voice.” I gasp at Sans in mock offense.

“yeah you do.”

“No I-“ I start to argue but Papyrus cuts me off.

“Yes, you do Firefly, and it is rather endearing.” Papyrus picks up my glass and puts it back in my hands again, giving me a meaningful look to get me to start drinking again. I roll my eyes before knocking back the last of my shake and lean over to put the glass in the sink.

“I’m beginning to notice that a lot of the monsters from the Underground were…” I pause and try to think of the right word. “sheltered for the lack of a better term. That is to say, you guys weren’t really in tune with your base instincts.”

I lean back on my hands, remaining on my perch on the countertop. Yeah, I do kind of have a teacher voice, but I hate for them to be uninformed and judging by the looks on Stretch’s and Blue’s faces, they were lost. The others looked interested but not as lost. I suspected they understood more especially since Red and Mutt knew about growling.

“Skeleton monsters are more than capable of growling and making a large range of sounds depending on what the situation calls for. Almost all other monsters can as well, well except moldsmals and the like. But that is what body language is for.” I shrug nonchalantly before continuing. “Each subspecies of monsters has some sounds and characteristics unique to them but there are a lot of sounds and body language that are universal. Growling is one to them. Not all of them are aggressive and are usually interpreted through intent and circumstance. It’s natural for monsters to act in a way that could be considered more animalistic. If I remember correctly, despite looking, most of the time, nonthreatening; skeleton monsters have a lot of hidden features that can be used both defensively and offensively.”

I look at Sans to double check that I am right, he nods. We had found out over the years that there were quite a few things skeletons could tap into should they want to, besides the basics. Being a rare subspecies, there wasn’t a lot left around written on them so there was a lot of trial and error. But I was a firm believer of being completely aware of your own capabilities.

“WOW! REALLY?! THAT’S SO COOL!” Blue’s eye lights have turned into stars once more as he looks like he is barely restraining his own excited energy. “THEN I! THE MAGNIFICANT SA-BLUE! SHALL FIND OUT ALL THAT A SKELETON CAN DO!” 

I laugh softly at his enthusiasm as I hopped down from the counter. I pat Blue’s skull as I walk past, missing the baby blue dusting of magic that covered his face as I did.

“I wish you luck on your endeavor. Ask Pap if you have any questions, he’s figured out a lot these past few years.” I stretch, reaching up toward the ceiling, wiggling my finders as I make my way to the door. “Sundays are movie days, and it’s my turn to pick the movie, everyone good with Disney?”

I pause at the door when I feel the ping of a CHECK bounce off my soul. Casually, bringing my arms back down to my sides, I turn to make eye contact with a wide-socketed Mutt.

“Rude.” Turning on my heel, I leave the room, heading down the hall to the living room.

~~~

The day had shifted to evening and I found myself pulling out a previously frozen pizza from the oven and sitting it on the stove next to the two others that were cooling there. We had watched Finding Nemo, Aladdin, and were currently watching Mulan. I had left the living room packed with skeletons that were being educated on the subject of Disney movies, to check on the pizzas that had been put in for dinner. They were the one brand that Papyrus was willing to eat. They weren’t as greasy as delivery and he had a thing for the margarita pizza they made.

I turn to grab the pizza cutter from a drawer near the oven, sensing someone standing in the doorway, I glance up to see Black standing there with his arms crossed. With an eyebrow raised in his direction, I turn back to the pizzas to begin cutting. I would have thought Black would have stayed in the living room. Even Edge had been watching the TV with rapt interest when I had slipped out of the room.

I could hear the soft click of Black’s heels as he made his way over to the oven where I stood. We remained silent; the only noise was the scraping of the cutter against the metal pans. When I set down the pizza cutter, I turn to find Black standing behind me, arms still crossed, neon blue eye lights boring holes into my soul. Before I can say anything, Black speaks, his voice dropped to an almost normal volume.

“Unlike Edge. I Do Not Think You Are Hiding Something.” Black looks me up and down, as if he was studying me. “I’m Curious As To What You Are, But I Believe That Rather Than Hiding, Everything Is In Plain Site. We Only Need To Put All The Clues Together To Solve Your Puzzle. I Am Confident That You Are Not As Human As The Blue Nuisance Keeps Spouting So Needlessly.”

I lean against the counter, watching Black cautiously as he steps closer, inhaling subtly.

“Underneath The Scents Of Those Vanilla Brothers Is Something Else That Is Distinctly Different.” Black tilts his head slightly, staring as if he was trying to see through me. “You Have An Extensive Knowledge Of Monsters That No Human Would Have, Even With Monsters Being On The Surface For Five Years. And Those Two Feel Comfortable Enough To Not Only Have You In Their Home But Scent Mark You As Well.”

The scent of cherries and leather tickles my nose as Black’s eye sockets narrow and he leans into my personal space. I stare back calmly, Black being about an inch shorter than me meant I didn’t have to crane my head up to make eye contact with him. I keep my face blank as I watch him.

“What You Are And Why They Are So Comfortable Around Someone With An Astoundingly High LV Are Two Questions I Intend On Answering Very Soon.” Black smirks confidently at me, not leaving my space. I don’t know how he expected me to react to this declaration but the slow grin that creeps onto my lips, doesn’t seem to be it.

“I wish you all the luck on your endeavors Black.” I let my grin turn sweet. “Like you said, I’m not hiding anything. It should be easy to put all the pieces together.”

I step forward, the movement surprising Black enough for him to take a step back. With the new space to move, I slip around him and begin to make my way to the kitchen door so I can tell the others that the pizza was done. Pausing in the doorway I glance back at Black who has turned to watch me carefully.

“I look forward to seeing if you can figure it out.” With a wink like the one he had given me this morning; I slip away down the hall, a deep chuckle following me.

~~~

It’s later than I originally intended when I finally get up off the couch I was curled up on with Sans and Papyrus. I didn’t want to leave but I had to get to the bakery early and my apartment was closer. I might have been convinced to stay had it not been for the order I needed to get an early start on. Papyrus stands to hug me and begin gathering the plates and cups off the coffee table to take them to be washed.

“Well, it was nice meeting everyone but I gotta get home before it gets any later.” I smile at the skeletons scattered about the room. Edge glares at me before looking away with a huff. Stretch is snoring softly with his head in his brother’s lap who waves goodbye, careful to not wake him up. Red is snoring loudly in the only recliner, mouth open and a small line of red drool running down his chin. Both Black and Mutt are watching me carefully from their seat on the couch they had claimed. Their expressions unreadable.

“i’ll come with. just let me get my jacket.” Sans groans as he stands up, stretching before disappearing in a crackle of cyan magic. He reappears with a leather jacket slung over his shoulder and his feet hastily shoved into his shoes.

I had insisted on getting him a leather jacket to wear when he rode on my bike with me, I wanted him to be safe. He also had a helmet that stayed in my saddle bags. My greatest accomplishment was finding the patch I had stitched onto the back of the jacket. It was a skull and cross bones with that said ‘Mr. Bone’s Wild Ride’ around it. I had laughed so hard at the shit eating grin Sans had when he saw it. He loved it.

Sans followed me out the door and down the hall, I gave Papyrus one last, back breaking hug, feeling him press a soft kiss to the crown of my head, before slipping out the front door. I slide my riding leathers and helmet on before handing Sans his helmet and climbing on my bike. Sans lazily sits behind me but the grip he had on my waist is firm as I start the bike up and carefully maneuver it down the drive.

The drive is quiet and peaceful. Sans eventually wraps his arms around my middle as we pull onto the main roads, his chin resting on my shoulder. I loved late night rides like this, they soothed my soul and Sans made it all the better. Papyrus was too big to ride on the back of my bike and preferred to drive his bright red Corvette when he had somewhere to be. Sans drove his little Corolla when he had to but preferred to be a passenger for the most part. He especially seemed to like cruising around with me on my bike, taking long drives with no destination and relaxing on the seat behind me. He was my go-to for road trips and late-night cruising and was a good passenger, leaning with the turns when he needed to and over all easy to ride with.

Once I park my bike in the parking garage, Sans throws an arm over my shoulders and I feel a pull in my naval before we appear in my apartment with cyan magic crackling around us.

“You lazy bones.” I chuckle as I pull off my jacket to hang up by my door, Sans following my actions with his own.

“only the laziest for you sugar plum. besides shortcuts are always more efficient, not to mention quicker. especially with you. always have been for some reason.” Sans wraps an arm around my waist, and I let him nudge and guide me toward my bedroom. It had been a long day and I was starting to feel it in the form of a headache behind my eyes. I was exhausted from constantly fighting against all the conflicting scents and presences in my mates’ house. It was shocking that I hadn’t developed a migraine before now.

I don’t complain as he starts moving around my room to gather up all my extra blankets that had been strewn about and start piling them onto my bed. I grab a tank top to sleep in, one of his old white ones that I stole a while back. Letting my glamour melt away, I start to strip out of my clothes.

Warm phalanges make me pause halfway into pulling the tank top on. They softly trace over a jagged scar that stretched from my right hip bone to my bottom most left rib. Even after so many years it was still as red as the day I got it, looking almost fresh in the soft light of my bedroom.

“its really been bothering you today hasn’t it.” Sans continues to trace the scar carefully as he steps closer. I carefully finish pulling the tank top down but let it light rest over his hand, not pushing him away. “don’t think i didn’t notice that you didn’t eat dinner. hurtin’ or just nauseous?”

“A bit of both.” My voice comes out in a soft whisper as I stare down at the scar and the phalanges touching it. At my admittance I hear Sans sigh before he wraps his arms around my waist, gently herding me to the bed. Sans had created a comfortable pile of pillows and blankets in the center of my bed and I willing crawl into them and curl up comfortably.

“you should have said something sugar plum.” The bed dips behind me as Sans curls up around me, sliding an arm under my head, the other wrapping around my waist his hand splayed across my stomach. There is a click as he turns off the lights with his magic. I sigh softly as I feel him nuzzle the back of my head and the sensation of soft healing magic radiating from his hand dulls the pain in my stomach.

I had been ignoring the pain for so long that the relief I felt now that it was easing up made my eye flutter closed. A low purr rattles through the ribcage pressed against my back, wintergreen and cedar invading my senses. Slowly and comfortably I drift off to sleep.

**~Mutt~**

I stare as the woman who had been previous curled up on the couch with the vanilla brothers, stand up and stretch. Her shirt crept up to reveal more of the tattoos that covered the majority of her upper body. My eye lights never left her as she said good night to everyone and followed Classic out of the room.

I had checked her earlier and a shiver crept up my spine as I recalled it.

**Luna**

**LV: 17**

**HP: 850**

**AT: 42**

**DF: 20**

***Wildcard**

Another shiver ran through my body, causing my bones to rattle quietly. Whether it was fear or anticipation, I didn’t know. My brother and I share a knowing look. What I did know was that this was going to be fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you guys like this chapter! Hopefully the next chapter won't take too long to get finished. Luckily this chapter taking me so long actually gave me a chance to iron out the plot and figure out what I want to do.   
> Your guy's kudos and comments make my day! 
> 
> As always, have a great week!


	15. Sweet Seduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, there is a lot of info at the beginning of this chapter. 
> 
> There is also a POV change but it is clearly marked. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy! I know I enjoyed writing this chapter!
> 
> Side note: Man life is weird when you work the graveyard shift XD

I lean away from the cake in front of me, setting the piping bad down on the counter so I can turn to look at the skeleton next to me. Sans had finished his cup of coffee and was working on a lemon muffin.

“So, what exactly happened last week? And what is with the sudden invasion of skeletons in your house?” I lean back against the backrest of my stool, crossing my arms. “You said you’d explain everything. I know that there is no way in hell they are you cousins. You and Pap are the only skeletons left both above and below ground.”

Sans polishes off the muffin, he was wearing what he had slept in last night, not bothering to change after we woke up early this morning. He said it was all going to be covered by a lab coat anyway so why bother with it. I had taken him up on his offer to shortcut me to the bakery, still feeling a little off from yesterday’s events. While my stomach didn’t hurt as much as it did, there was still a deep seeded ache. But after a night wrapped up in San’s scent, the headache I had fallen asleep with, had dissipated thankfully.

“you remember how we finished up the core 2.0 last month?” Sans slouches back comfortably on his stool. I nod, it was a big deal for both humans and monsters. Truly clean energy. “well with it built and running, it was decided that we needed to try to either shut down the old core underground or find a way to put in some kind of stand by mode. it’s been slowly becoming more and more unstable as the years pass and the king thinks it may become a major hazard in the future not only for those still living underground but everyone up here as well.”

“Has it gotten that bad? I haven’t been below the surface in a bit since wedding season started.” I reach out for the mug sitting next to him on the counter, bring it to my lips to sip at the now lukewarm blood concoction.

“yeah, we were up to two or three power surges a month.” Sans sighs as he rubs his hand over his face. “me and alph gathered up all the blueprints and notes on the core and came up with a program to try to shut it down without destabilizing the underground more than it already is. if we couldn’t shut it down, we were going to try to make the adjustments so that it can run at the lowest level possible. that way when it did surge, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal.”

Sans pauses for a moment, sliding his hands into his hoodie pockets as he looks at the cake I had been working on.

“we went down last week to give it a go. all the numbers were crunched, codes written out, all of it. it was only supposed to take a day, two max. ‘dyne didn’t want alph back in the labs for too long, you know how she gets.” I smile softly, Undyne had always been protective over her wife, even more so in light of recent events. “we got the program started and had just began the first sequence when a surge hit. it had to have been the biggest so far. cut out all power to the labs and everything. when we got the power back on, it was like we were in the labs but not our labs, everything looked different yet the same somehow. there were other monsters there, none we had ever seen before but looked like us and people we knew. we could see them, but they couldn’t see us for some reason. next thing we know, they are all rushing around and leaving as fast as possible.”

I watch as my mate takes a deep, exhausted breath. As if the very conversation was draining him heavily. I reach out and carefully tug a hand from his pocket so I can thread my fingers through his. When he relents, I firmly squeeze the smooth bones in my hand, sending soothing feelings his way. A small smile spreads across his face briefly before he continues.

“then when me and alph were finally figuring out what was going on, there was another surge. and it was like it never happened, the lab was back to normal, no one else was there and the sequence we had started was already halfway done. that was when the swap clan emerged.” Sans sighs again. “turns out, we somehow proved my multiverse theory by accidently dragging an entire underground to our universe. not the way i was expecting it to happen, i expected a lot of numerical data and maybe some mapping of parallel magical signatures and the like. not completely merging with another timeline.”

“So, what you are saying is that the monsters that emerged last week area all-“

“alternate versions of all the monsters that already exist here in our world? yeah, pretty much. they’re us. but not us. if that makes since.” Sans sits up straighter, starting to git that excited glint to his eye lights that he always gets when discussing his theories and experiments. “it’s like at one point they were us, way way back in their timeline and then something happened. some kind of catalyst. caused their worlds to change, thus the monsters there changing with it. they are all unique and different monsters; some even have different magic than the ones here. but deep down at the core of it all, they all had same starting template and the same names. all the skeletons you met yesterday were me and pap. when they came here, they all had the same names as us too. but we decided that it would be best to change them, the king came up with that idea so we could tell the humans that the underground was a lot bigger and more complex than it was originally thought, the barrier more complex than we could imagine. we came up with the ‘theory’” Sans used one of his hands to make the air quotes around the word. “that we broke through first because our section of the underground was the closest to the surface, and that the others were deeper down, separated by different folds in the barrier.”

A sound theory the humans wouldn’t had trouble believing. Especially since the underground was cut off from all humans aside from those with special permission. Only monsters could freely come and go as they pleased, something that was agreed upon in the first year after monsters surfaced. I took another sip from my mug, it was a good tactical move on the King’s part, it sounded perfectly plausible since humans hadn’t even begun to understand the magic and intricacies that went not only into the barrier but into the monster species as a whole.

“we had two more sets of surges before me and alph could get the core into a stable standby mode, it was like once we got the sequence started, we couldn’t cancel it, only make adjustments. each time the same thing happened as the first, three different universes ended up getting pulled over in total.” Sans is talking with his hands now as I watch him fondly, carefully processing all the information that was flowing out of his mouth. It was most likely I would be fully debriefed when they finally called me into the Embassy, but I knew my mate would give me so many more details than they could. I would need to sort it all out completely once work was over, but for now I was working on making sure I was retaining it all. “the crazy part is that none of them had made it to the surface. not in any of the resets they all had, had they gotten close to breaking their own barriers. me and the others are working on compiling all of our data from our own worlds to see what the differences are, aside from the obvious ones. see if we can figure out a way to map the different universes, try to reconnect to their own. stuff like that. as soon as they are cleared and registered, the other me’s are going to come back down to the labs and see if we can’t figure this all out.”

I raise my eyebrows at this. It all sounds very complicated and in depth. There were now four separate sets of my soulmates, all in one universe when they were originally in four different ones. It was a lot to take in, but one thought stood out from the others.

“What does this mean for the three of us?” I sit down my mug and reach for Sans’ other hand, so I was holding onto both, more for my benefit than his. I needed something to ground me. “If they are all just different versions of you and Pap, then how does our bonds factor into all of this?”

Sans grows quiet, a frown tugging the corners of his mouth down slightly. He looks down at our hands, squeezing mine gently, and doesn’t speak for a while. The only sounds were the muffled chaos of the kitchen outside the decorating room and the soft sound of the music playing from my speakers. I knew if I listened closely, I could hear the thrums of our souls, just slightly off sync from the incomplete bond. I could feel the twang of anxiety stirring in my mate and did the best I could do to soothe it, but I was anxious as well. Our bonds were not yet complete, we had moved at our own slow, languid paces and now, despite them being strong and healthy, there were now variables that could put a strain on them. My soul screamed at me to avoid anything that could interfere with the process we had started three years ago as it quivered apprehensively in my chest.

“it could mean a lot of things….or nothing at all. i don’t know yet if them being different versions of us ties their souls to yours as well. i’d have to see their souls for that and even then, the bonds would already have to be beginning to form for me to see anything.” Sans grimaces at this. “doubt they’d let me look, and i didn’t say anything to them because i didn’t know. hell, we didn’t even know until our bonds had already settled in for the long haul. didn’t want them making assumptions and stressing you out more than all this already will.”

We both go silent, sitting there quietly, thinking, and holding each other’s hands. Sans’ thumb traces mindlessly over the back of my hand, causing the magic in the tattoos there to spark and crackle in response to his own magic. It causes goosebumps to raise on my arms but is soothing at the same time as I process all of it. I remembered the beginnings of my bonds with Sans and Papyrus, the little flutters and tugs my soul gave, trying to lead me closer to them. How calm I felt in their presence despite not knowing them long enough to feel that level of peace.

Those little tugs and flutters were nothing compared to the happy thrumming and jumps my soul gave around my mates now. How it shivered as Sans took one of my hands in both of his so he could trace my tattoos with his index and middle finger, watching as my magic jumped and crackled to meet his bones with little purple embers and sparks.

“just….keep a read on your soul…let us know if anything changes.” When Sans finally spoke again his voice was soft and rumbling in his chest. “we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it sugar plum.”

I nod, just simply watching him trace the patterns inked into my skin. We sit like that for a moment, soaking up each other’s presence until a thought seems to strike Sans.

“when is your lease up sugar plum?” Sans pauses his tracing to look me in the eye.

“About a month or so.”

“we should get to packing then. a month will pass quicker than we think, its already snuck up on us with all this mess going on.” Sans looks away, thinking, his eye lights fading in and out as he goes through his thoughts. “i’ll have to grab some boxes after work. pap will need to finish up your room.”

“So, we are still doing this?” I raise my eyebrows at my mate. He frowns and looks back at me in confusion.

“moving you in with us? well yeah.” Sans tilts his head to the side, still frowning at me. “why wouldn’t we?”

“Well I thought with the sudden additions to the house, you guys might not want to add another to the mix. Besides I don’t know if there is still room for me with eight skeletons running around.” I start to chew at my bottom lip, worrying it between my teeth. “I don’t think they will take too well to another monster added to the already strained territories that they are trying to set up-“

Sans cuts me off by gently grasping my chin and tugging my lip away from my teeth to keep me from slicing it open. He gives me a long hard look, eye lights searching for what I’m not sure.

“fuck ‘em.” Sans growls out suddenly, baring his teeth slightly.

“What?!” I blink, slightly startled by the change of attitude. Wintergreen and cedar suddenly invades my senses as Sans pushes into my personal space. Another growl slips out as he presses his forehead to mine.

“i said fuck ‘em.” He rumbles, tilting his head so the bridge of his nasal cavity rests against my nose. “they can get over it. we have been waiting over a year to do this and i refuse to allow our mate to be apart from us a day longer than necessary. if they have any complaints they can sure as fuck leave, because this is happening whether they like it or not.”

The end of his sentence is punctuated with another growl, one that I feel reverberate through my entire frame. At some point Sans had stood up and caged me into my stool, both hands resting on either side of me, gripping the back rest. I don’t know when my hands had found their way to his hoodie, but it was clutched tightly between my fingers as I instinctually inhaled his scent deeply. It’s doing what is supposed to do, I can feel the anxiety that had coursed through my veins seeping out of me with each inhale, my muscles starting to relax on the exhales.

I tilt my chin up as I start to pull his hoodie to me at the same time, feeling my glamour start to flicker as my control slips. My instincts screamed to get as close as possible, my soul pushing against my chest. Before I can separate the last inch between us, Sans’ phone begins to blare an obnoxious tune from the counter. And like that, the spell is broken. He lets out a long string of curses as he pulls away and snatches it up to glare at it.

“gotta go to work.” Sans sighs and scrapes his hand over his face as he dismisses the alarm he had set. “i’ll swing by after work with some boxes and we can get started packing. text pap so he knows, though i’m sure he already has it all set in his phone and is already fives steps ahead of us.”

Sans chuckles with a fond look on his face, the same look he always got when talking about his brother. He was right, Papyrus probable was way ahead of both of us. I was surprised he hadn’t said anything yet, though knowing him he was just keeping quiet to see how long it’d take for us to realize what was going on. He was a shit like that sometimes, but I still loved him.

I sigh softly as Sans steps back into my space to briefly nuzzle against my temple, leaving a strong trace of his scent behind. I turn my head slightly to rub my cheek lovingly against his cheek bone, closing my eyes to soak in this last bit of affection before he leaves.

“stay safe.” And with that he is gone in a crackle of cyan magic, his scent still hanging heavily in the air of the decorating room. With a soft sigh, I turn the stool, so I am facing the cake I was working on once more. I was only halfway done; this was going to be a long day.

**~Stretch~**

Routines were nice. They were soothing. Patterns were predictable and easy to see if you looked long enough. They were even easy to form if you let yourself relax enough, or they were the very reason some people were able to relax. Patterns started routines, routines became habits, and habits were hard to break.

I liked routine, loved it even. I embraced my habits whole souled, thrived off the pattern I had created. They helped keep my anxiety to manageable levels. I liked to watch other peoples’ patterns, see how predictable they could be, see if I could guess what they would do next. People like my brother were fun to watch. He has a set routine that very rarely deviated, baring a huge, unexpected event. Even then, he usually just modified the original to fit the new circumstance. And I guess in a sense, I was like that too. I had a set routine that I stuck to, happily. The problem was that I wasn’t that flexible.

It was because of that inflexibility that I found myself walking down a random street, deep within the city of Ebbot rather than back at the house with all the other copies of my brother and myself. I was looking for this world’s Muffet’s. Wherever that was. I usually spent my mornings there before I went to my sentry station when we were underground. It was a routine that had kept me sane through the resets and a weeklong break from it had started to make my anxiety spike. There had been more than enough disruption to my routine that this wasn’t something I wanted to give up. So, I started searching for Muffet’s.

I sighed as I dug my hands into my hoodie pocket, pulling out my last sucker to stick into my mouth. I had been looking for hours but had gotten more lost than anything. Yeah, I could have asked Classic or his brother, but both were absent when I had finally drug myself out of bed this morning. My brother was gone as well, left a sticky note on my forehead telling me he was out with this world’s Papyrus.

It was so weird being around other copies of myself that were so similar yet so vastly different. Seeing the sharper, more violent version of my brother had really thrown me for a loop. Hell, seeing so many skeletons in one place was enough to shell shock me. It had been just me and my brother for so long. The last of our kind. Now there were eight of us.

I shook my head to clear it and looked around to see if I was any closer to the monster part of the city. More and more monsters were beginning to fill the sidewalk and the number of humans began to dwindle. I had to be getting close. Taking a deep breath, I build up the courage to stop a monster.

“hey man.” I stop a small bird monster, they pause, and look up me. “you know where the bakery is?”

“Oh! Why yes!” The bird smiles at me kindly. “It’s just down the block. Turn left onto the main thoroughfare and just keep walking. It should be on the left; you can’t miss it.”

“thanks man.” I offer the bird monster a tired smile before turning to continue down the street. I knew I was getting close.

This wasn’t the bakery I was expecting. Before me stood a lovely gothic bakery, decorated in a rich blacks and plums with a floral theme. Elegant gothic lettering spelled out the name Black Orchid Bakery in black on the glass door. The bakery was moderately busy this time of day. I could see many monsters and humans scattered about, eating, and talking amicably, various drinks and pastries before them. This was most definitely not Muffet’s, there wasn’t a single spider or web in site.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn’t even notice the human man striding cockily toward the door until suddenly swung open. I jumped, startled by the sudden motion, the sucker falling from my mouth and shattering on the concrete.

“Please tell me you are here to answer my add about joining the skeleton army!” The man grasped his hands together in a pleading manner, grinning like a maniac.

“i….uh….what?!” I stammer out, taking a step back, thoroughly puzzled.

“How good are you with a broad sword and taking orders?” He steps forward, eyes almost twinkling. “How tall are you-“

“I swear to the stars above Tony! If you keep harassing customers, I am permanently putting you on cupcake duty!” A familiar female voice yells exasperatedly from within the bakery itself. The man is suddenly jerked back by the ponytail and drug back into the bakery, flailing dramatically.

“No! Help!” Tony gasps out, jerking and stumbling comically as he is drug backwards. I can’t get a good look at the person (woman judging by the voice) doing the dragging. “Not the cupcakes! Anything but the cupcakes!”

I unconsciously follow them in, hearing some customers laughing good naturedly, while I was trying to wrap my mind around what was happening. Tony is drug through the door kicking and yelling and I find myself stopped in front of the main counter, just staring at the empty doorway in confusion. No one else seems to even be concerned by what just happened, simply snickering, and returning to their previous conversations. I didn’t know if I should be deeply concerned for the human or laugh.

Before I can make up my mind, a woman walks out of the kitchen dusting off her hands. I feel my eye sockets widen as I realize that the woman who had come to the house yesterday. Luna was her name if I remembered correctly. She wore a black apron with the bakery’s logo over a pair of bell bottom blue jeans that were embroidered with black swirls up the side, a red and black tie-dye shirt, and a pair of red combat boots.

“Good afternoon and welcome to the Black Orchid Bakery!” Luna grins brightly as she steps up to the counter. She has her hair pulled back in a single loose braid down her back and I can see a little bit of blue icing smeared on her cheek and arms. “What can I do for you Stretch?”

“i was….um… looking for muffet’s and ended up here…” I scratch nervously at the back of my skull, glancing around to take in the delicate gothic décor and silk flowers. The display case is filled with fresh and tempting sweets and I can smell a multitude of other baked goods wafting from the kitchen door.

“Oh.” She tilts her head curiously at me, that bright grin dropping slightly. “Well you are in the wrong part of town then. Muffet’s is clear on the other side of the city. We tend to keep to our own territories and all that.”

Well shit. I don’t think I could hunt down the place before the end of the day. I’d just have to try again another day. Luna leans forward on her forearms, leaning on the counter. I could smell the faint smell of peaches soaked in vanilla wafting off her, intermixing with the smells of the bakery and the underlying scent of something wintery I couldn’t quite place.

“Well, since you are already here, could I tempt you with anything from the menu?” She smiles hopefully nodding her head to the large menu behind her. I step closer to get a better look at it. Might as well feed my sweet tooth while I was here. The smell gets even stronger, making my mind a little hazy and my soul flutter softly in my ribcage.

“do you got any honey?” The stuff Classic had brought home was ok, extremely processed, but still drinkable. I was really missing the raw spider honey Muffet made. I watch as Luna frowns slightly in thought.

“Like raw honey in a bottle?” I nod and she gives me an apologetic look. “No sorry. The only bottled honey we have here would be what we have at the drink station and that isn’t for sale.”

I must have not hidden my disappointment that well because she immediately straightens up and holds up her hands, waving them slightly as if trying to keep me from leaving.

“But we do have a lot of honey-based sweets! We work with local beekeepers and use fresh honey to make them.” She gestures to the menu again. “We have fresh honey cake, honey and lemon curd tarts, baklava, honeycomb toffee, and our most recent addition honey bunnies.”

I can feel my mouth begin to water as she lists off all of the deserts. I think I am in heaven. I didn’t even know there were so many treats with honey in them, I almost couldn’t decide. A soft giggle breaks me out of my stupor, and I look to see Luna smiling at me, her purple eyes twinkling.

"You don’t have to try them all today. They will still be here when you come back.” She said that as if there was no doubt that I would return. She was probably right. “I suggest starting with some honey bunnies, so you don’t get too overwhelmed. Some of those are very very rich.”

Oh, she doubted my sweet tooth’s power. Finally, I get enough of a grip on myself to actually speak.

“sounds good to me.” I casually slide my hands into my hoodie pocket and try to act like I didn’t just drool in public. “i’ll take a dozen. i know my bro would want to try some as well.”

“Awesome! I will get them gathered up for you.” She flashes a grin at me that makes me suck in a sharp breath. Now all I can smell is peaches and vanilla. I shake my head to clear it. Get it together man, it’s not like this is the first time a girl smiled at you. Luna starts to speak again as she folds open a pastry box with quick, practiced movements. “Though I suggest hiding them from Sans. He is a bit of a sweet thief. Though since these aren’t muffins, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble keeping him from sniffing them out.”

“i’ll keep that in mind.” I chuckle as I watch her put the pastries in the box and start ringing up my order. A question that I had been pondering suddenly comes back to mind. “so, how did you meet those two anyways?”

“Well, long story short, they moved into the apartment next to mine and we just kind of hit it off. Been close ever since.” I could tell that she was leaving a lot out but decided not to press too much. I could always ask Classic later, see if I could get a full answer out of him. They didn’t seem to associate with many humans, and I was curious why this one was so special. They had brought he over just to personally introduce her to us rather than let us meet her on our own time like they had done with everyone else. It was like they wanted to make a point to make sure all of us knew who she was.

She seemed really close to the both of them, and they did little to hide how smitten they were with her. I don’t know why that bothered me, but it did. It really did. Seeing how at ease she was with them and their home, their easy banter and inside jokes, the fact that she not only had clothes at their house but kept them in one of their rooms rather than a guest room. All of it rubbed me the wrong way. Which was ridiculous. I didn’t even know the woman.

Luna broke me out of my thoughts by setting the pastry box in front of me. I quickly paid the total and picked up the box. I needed to just get home, my mind was hazy, the smells in the bakery must be getting to me. I have gone way too long without a good sugar fix.

“well, thanks a lot for the sweets.” I hold up the box and nod my thanks. “see ya later honeybee.”

The nickname is out of my mouth before I can even process what I just said. My whole body freezes up as I feel sweat begin to prick nervously at my brow. Oh shit, I don’t even know her and here I am-

“No problem Stretch!” Luna smiles sweetly, not even bothered by the name. “Come back any time, be safe getting back.”

“yeah….uh…sure…i will.” I mutter and rub at the back of my skull, wanting to sink into my hoodie as I feel my magic heat my face up in embarrassment.

Just as I’m turning to slink away and shortcut back to the house so I can scream out my frustrations into my pillow, the kitchen door burst open.

“The Skeleton Army Will Rise Again!” I look over my shoulder to see Tony hanging out the door, fist raised and grinning widely. Luna whirls around to face him, clearly done with his shit.

“Back in your hole!” I can’t help but to laugh as she grabs the man by the shoulders and shoves him back into the kitchen.

I’m still laughing when I appear back in my room, dropping the box on the bed. Today wasn’t a waste after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The skeleton army is currently taking applications. See the gremlin in your closet for details. 
> 
> Have a great week guys! <3


	16. Teeth Set On Edge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo...... I know it has been a month..... for that I am very very sorry guys. I promise that I haven't dropped this story! I love it too much! I also loved the comments on the last chapter! Yes! Skeleton army rise!! XD
> 
> My depression has been kicking my ass lately, coupled with exhaustion from work and the stress of having to see family for the holidays and I have either been absolutely apathetic and or unable to get into the right headspace to write. I didn't want my depression to affect the tone of this story. 
> 
> I'm hoping that being off work for the holidays will allow me to get a few more chapters done, as long as my family don't mess with my head too much.

I grin as I walk into my apartment to find Papyrus sitting at my small kitchen table with a notebook and a pile of packing supplies. Clear packing tape, colored dots, a pack of sharpies and a box cutter is all I can see sticking out of the pile from my view by the door. A large pile of flattened boxes of various sizes lay in the middle of my living room floor. Sans must have popped by at lunch or as soon as he got off work to leave those for us.

“Good evening Sunshine. How was your day?” I sit my purse down on the table next to the couch before making my way to my mate. I wrap my arms around his neck and lean against his back, looking over his shoulder at the notebook. He has started creating a color-coded system for the boxes as well as writing out a small timeline to make sure all my belongings were packed and ready to move before my lease ended. Papyrus was always so organized, one of the things I loved about him.

“My day was good; I was able return to my clients today. I even brought Blue with me. I thought he would appreciate getting to see where the gym is. How was your day, Firefly?” Papyrus nuzzles my cheek briefly before returning to his notebook.

“Eventful. I had to throw Tony into the kitchen because he wouldn’t leave Stretch alone.” I lean most of my weight onto his back, letting out a deep breath. “He started trying to recruit him for the skeleton army.”

“I thought the army was made of all kinds of monsters. And wasn’t currently active.” Papyrus frowns slightly, tilting his head slightly to try to look at me from my perch on his shoulder. “Stretch went to the bakery today? He was home when we left this morning.”

“They are in reserve, and the whole skeleton army thing is a joke. He was trying to be funny.” I reach out and point at a day he missed; he thanks me softly before I continue. “Yeah, Stretch came in looking for Muffet’s sometime after lunch. I convinced him to take home some honey bunnies instead.”

“Smart girl.” Papyrus chuckles. “Did he like them? Those are your new ones, right? I haven’t tried those.”

“Those are the new ones, yeah. And I don’t know if he liked them or not, he left shortly after he paid for them.” I stand up straight again and stretch as I turn to the living room, trying to get my back to pop where it had been hurting all afternoon. I hear the chair scrape lightly against the floor and Papyrus’s quiet footsteps as he walks up to me.

“Here let me.” I cross my arms, hugging my shoulders as I feel his thumbs run down my vertebrae, pressing firmly until he found what he was looking for. “Deep breath dear.”

I inhale deeply as he wraps both arms over mine, hands cradling my elbows, and lifts my feet off the ground. I exhale all the oxygen out of my lungs and as soon as he feels this, he tightens his grip significantly and leans back. A series of loud pops ring out through the room and I let my body go limp, a pleased sigh escaping my lips as he sets me down.

A chuckle reverberates through the ribcage at my back as Papyrus nuzzles into my hair.

“Thanks.” I murmur, letting myself soak up the affection. “Are we going to start packing tonight?”

“It won’t be the end of the world if we wait one night to start packing.” I give him a look as he starts walking us toward my small couch.

“Who are you and what have you done with my Papyrus?” He snickers as he settles onto the couch, pulling me down to settle between his femurs.

“I’m still your Papyrus. I just…” Papyrus sighs as he wraps his arms around my waist to pull me as close as he can, nuzzling my hair once more, but pressing more forcefully. His voice is muffled when he finally speaks again. “Despite the fact that I want nothing more than to finally have you at home with us…. everything in me is just screaming to just hide you away and keep you to myself. I know that it is a natural response, but I am still trying to process all that has happened this past week or so.”

I tilt my head back until the crown of my skull is resting on his sternum. Orange eye lights stare down at me as I reach up to trace his jawbone with my fingertips.

“Your glamour is still up Firefly. Let me see you.” I feel him cradle my chin softly as he speaks. I close my eyes and let my magic flare up, Papyrus draws a sharp breath, and pull my glamour away, letting it dissipate. “There you are little Firefly.”

“Here I am.” I grin up at my mate, letting my fangs show rather than smiling with my lips closed as I usually did. Papyrus returns the grin, his thumb tracing the corner of my mouth. “And here I will stay.”

~~~

“So how is the paperwork for the expansion going?” I cup my hot teacup close to me as I lean back in my chair.

“So far so good.” Grillby crackles softly as he sips his coffee. “I might need to look at expanding my staff as well. It is getting hard for me keep up with everything at once.”

“Have you thought about hiring on the fire elementals from the other clans?” I hadn’t seen the three other version of my dear friend, but I felt I could presume that they would be skilled in either bartending or at least with working in the restaurant business. But I could be wrong.

“The other clans are still in limbo, waiting for the royals to finish debating the next steps to start their integration.” Grillby lets out a hissing sigh, setting his coffee down. “Speaking of the royals, have you heard anything from the embassy?”

I sigh and rub a hand stressfully across my eyes. I had indeed heard from them; I had received the email in the middle of getting ready with Papyrus early this morning.

“They want to debrief me on Friday, then address the clans on Saturday.” I set my tea down to massage my temples, briefly closing my eyes. “They feel it would be best if I address them in official dress as well as use it as a chance to introduce them to AGMs. It’s going to be a long weekend.”

Grillby reaches out to pat my shoulder, as if to silently say he felt bad for me but did not envy me at all. I laugh softly and pick up my tea again to take another sip. We sit in comfortable silence for a little bit, sipping our respective drinks and enjoying each other’s company. The bakery wasn’t too busy as was usually the case when Grillby stopped by.

There is soft murmuring from other customers as they go about their business, Tony is working the counter while I am taking my break. He is currently joking with a small vulkin who was happily cooing at the display case. I could faintly hear the sounds coming from the kitchen as my workers bustled about. It’s so peaceful that I jump slightly, sloshing hot tea on my hand when the door swings open violently.

“WOW IT IS VERY PRETTY IN HERE! NOTHING LIKE MUFFET’S!” Blue’s loud voice causes me to cringe as I reach for a napkin and turn in my seat to see him bounce into the bakery, full of life and energy. Papyrus and Edge follow him closely. Papyrus looks at the door worriedly, checking for any damage and Edge’s scowl grows as he glances around the room. Most conversation stops at the dramatic entry as humans and monsters alike take in the trio of skeletons, but it isn’t long before the low murmuring resumes once more.

“Please be more careful Blue, you could have broken the door. It is made of glass you know.” Papyrus follows Blue as he bounds toward the counter where the vulkin has taken their bag and was beginning to make their way happily to the door. I watch as Edge sneers at the other customers before swaggering after the other two like he owned the place.

After a quick understanding look with Grillby, I stand up and make my way to intercept the trio. Papyrus sees me making my way across the café and grins widely despite seeing me only hours prior. I speak before Tony can greet them, trying to head off the situation I could see developing as his eye light up at seeing the skeletons in the bakery.

“Good morning gentlemen. Welcome to the Black Orchid Bakery, how can we help you this morning?” I gracefully slide behind the counter, lightly pinching Tony’s arm in warning. Thankfully, he seems to get the message and remains quiet behind the register. I pray to the stars above that he can contain himself until they leave.

Before Papyrus can speak, Blue interrupts him, his eye lights blown wide and in the shape of baby blue stars.

“IT SMELLS SOOOO GOOD IN HERE!” I raise an eyebrow and look to Papyrus. Blue’s tone of voice is very similar to his when he was up to something or knew something, he thought no one else knew. “MISS LUNA DO YOU REALLY OWN THIS BAKERY?!”

I swear for a moment I see his eye lights twinkle mischievously. Papyrus is now watching Blue somewhat suspiciously as the smaller skeleton practically vibrates in place. I smile politely and nod.

“I have owned this bakery for going on five years now.” The fifth anniversary would be this December. I was still debating on holding a small celebration for it. Both Sans and Papyrus thought I should throw a party, but I felt parties were more for 10- and 15-year anniversaries.

“AND YET IN ALL THAT TIME YOU COULDN’T FIND A DECENT DECORATOR. I PITTY YOUR CUSTOMERS, HAVING TO BE SUBJECTED TO SUCH AN EYESORE.” Edge spoke for the first time since the trio walked in. I wasn’t really offended; I couldn’t feel any true hatred behind his voice. Though the volume, much like Blue’s, hurt my ears. That loud volume coupled with the magic used to emphasize it would give me a headache quickly.

“Hey! Watch it Skeletor!” I barely refrain from pinching the bridge of my nose as Tony steps around the counter to square up with Edge. I loved Tony dearly, he was one of my few human friends and the first worker I had hired and was totally ok with working for a monster, but his absolute protectiveness over the bakery was going to get him in some real trouble one day. “Boss Lady worked really hard on this place! It is the top-rated blended bakery in the entire city! She has won many awards and has more prestige than your bony ass could ever have!”

Stars save me from my loudmouth employee. I feel my whole-body tense as the scent of spiced earl grey floods the area, which would have been soothing if it wasn’t trying to smother and overwhelm my own claiming scent that blanketed the bakery. Edge’s entire body shifts from demeaning to threatening as he looms above Tony.

**~Edge~**

This soft vanilla world set my teeth on edge. Everyone, be they monster or human, thought they could get away with anything just because they came from a peaceful world. In my world they would have been dusted ages ago. It frustrated me to no end that they couldn’t understand why I refused to let my guard down, why I acted so aggressively, why I couldn’t just take this disrespect on the chin.

This pitiful excuse of a human male thought he had the right to disrespect me. The great and terrible Papyrus. I refused to go by that ridiculous nick name that the Creampuff and his lazy brother gave me.

“WATCH YOURSELF HUMAN, I WILL DUST YOU WHERE YOU STAND!” I didn’t like the look in his eye, I couldn’t allow him to think he could get away with this. Threateningly, I step closer to him.

“The hell you will! Not in My Bakery!” The woman darts from behind the counter quicker than I expected her to be able to. Her voice, once soft and kind, was now hard with a growl sharpening, accompanied by the sting of agitated magic.

I glare down at the woman who dared stand in my way. She stood, one hand on the male’s chest, pushing him away. The other hand had the audacity to press firmly against the chest plate of my armor. As if she thought she could hold me back.

She was spirited, whatever she was. I had to give her that. Very few had the nerve to stand before me in defiance.

A growl started low, rumbling through my ribcage as I brought my hand up to grab the offensive appendage. It was surprisingly warm, almost burning. Too bad being feisty wasn’t enough to keep me from making an example of her. No one stood against the Great and Terrible Papyrus and not face the consequences. I have stood passive for long enough since entering this world. It was time for me to show these pathetic weaklings that I wasn’t a monster to be trifled with.

She bared her ridiculously flat and non-threatening teeth, a small and pitifully cute growl in response to my own. Sharp amethyst eyes glare up at me and the heady scent of peach rum fills my nasal cavity. Her fingers dig into the surface of my armor as I lean further into her space, baring my own teeth in response, feeling the edges of my mouth curve up slightly. The scent grows as does the temperature of the arm in my grasp, making my mind feel kind of fuzzy. What the hell was this woman.

A vice-like grip on my humerus brings me back to reality.

“Edge!” The Creampuff grips me almost painfully, and I glare at my soft counterpart out of the corner of my sockets. “Would you please come this way? I have something I Really Need To Show You.”

The last of his words are spoken through clenched teeth and before I can respond, I am drug away with strength I never expected him to have. I release the woman’s arm reflexively to grab onto the skeleton as he practically drags me to a small hallway, too stunned to really react. We come to a stop out of earshot of everyone else.

“HOW DARE-!” I growl at the soft skeleton.

“Shut up.”

“WHAT DID YOU-“

“I said Shut. Up.” Papyrus growls and suddenly steps into my personal space, his grip on my arm becoming painful. “You have said enough edgy me.”

“NOW SEE HERE-“

“No. You see here!” Orange eye lights flash dangerously, his growling voice dropping low and magic crackling in the air. “Now you will listen to me and not talk, understand?”

“WHY SHOULD I-“

“Not. A. Word. Understand?” I hiss and flinch when he jerks my arm, causing me to lower closer to his pitiful height.

When I open my mouth to respond, the grip on my arm tightens impossibly. I simply nod.

“Good. Now while I can overlook your rudeness and standoffish behavior. And while Luna is more than capable of taking care of herself. I will not, nor will I ever, tolerate violence toward her or any of my friends. Especially her.” Papyrus stares unblinkingly as he speaks. I wasn’t sure if it was the excruciating grip on my arm or the seriousness of is voice, but I remain completely still. “Complain all you want, be impolite, ignore her. I don’t care, it is up to you to choose to act respectively or not, I know she can handle it. But raise one threatening hand toward her and I. Will. Remove. It.”

The threat hangs between us for a few moments before I find my voice again.

“I DON’T SEE WHAT MAKES THIS TINY WOMAN SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU THINK YOU OF ALL PEOPLE CAN THREATEN ME.” I glare down at my counterpart who looked like he had never seen a day of hardship in his entire life and tried to figure out where he got off on threatening me like this. Who was this woman? What was this woman? Why did she matter so much?

“I know you have absolutely no tact, it must have been beaten out of you, but did you lose all sense of smell when you cracked your skull open?” Creampuff snorts as he lets go of my humerus and steps away, all threatening behavior melting away. A grin spreads across his teeth as he laughs. “Use your senses and brain edgy me! Now come along and do try to keep those boots out of your mouth.”

He turns with a flourish, muttering under his breath.

“Stars, I hope I wasn’t That oblivious.” With that he leaves and makes his way back to the others. I was left standing in the small hallway, dumbfounded.

The situation left me feeling like I had whiplash, despite not having the necessary body parts to be injured in such a way. I wait for the expect anger to rise from being threatened to rear its ugly head. But I feel nothing. Just stunned.

It’s in the same stunned hazed that I make my way back to the counter. The human male is no longer present and the small woman and moved back behind the counter. The small blue version of my brother was bouncing on the balls of his feet as she explains the different baked goods in the glass display case.

“-and those are the honey bunnies that your brother got yesterday. They are brand new to our menu.” Amethyst eyes flash up to meet my eye lights briefly, a silent warning swimming in their depths. “So, what can I get you guys?”

“OH! I JUST CAN’T DECIDE! THERE IS TOO MUCH TO PICK FROM! WHAT DO I DO?” Blue’s annoying voice grates on my nerves and I clench my teeth as I step closer.

“I believe I will have my usual Firefly.” The creampuff smiles so sweetly that it is almost sickening.

“WHAT DO YOU USUALLY GET PAPYRUS?!” Blue turns to him, eye lights in the shape of those ridiculous stars.

“Hibiscus and dragon fruit tea and the baker’s special.” Creampuff’s voice is deceptively soft, and kind compared to the hard and cold tone it had held moments ago.

“WHAT’S THE BAKER’S SPECIAL?”

The small woman giggles as she leans forward to rest her elbows on the countertop, propping her chin on a fist.

“The baker’s special is when I pick out a few things I think you will like. Pap likes for me to surprise him something new when he comes in. Keeps him on his toes.” The soft smile on her lips was a sharp contrast to the aggressive snarl it had been set in before, though just as captivating.

“OH, THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL! I WOULD LIKE THE BAKER’S SPECIAL AS WELL!” Blue claps his gloved hands together excitedly, much like a child would. I barely keep the sneer off my teeth when he turns to me. “WHAT ABOUT YOU EDGE?”

Her eyes flick up to hold my eye lights. We hold eye contact for an immeasurable amount of time. Peach rum has enveloped my senses, only now do I faintly smell hints of wintergreen and sandalwood blending almost unnoticeably with it.

“WHATEVER. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT WILL MEET MY REFINED TASTES.” I grumble and almost gasp as she grins widely and her eye sparkle mischievously. My soul thumps in my ribcage and I quickly break eye contact to glare at one of the silk flowers hung on the edge of the counter. 

“Challenge accepted.” Laughter fills her voice. Stupid woman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who will figure find Luna's true form first? 
> 
> The gremlin in your closet is taking bets now.   
> They would also like to remind you to drink plenty of water. And if you could move that thing a quarter of an inch to the left, that'd be awesome. Oh and nice shoes. 
> 
> What do you guys think about a Tumblr page for this story? I'm thinking about setting one up if you guys would like it, just to keep you guys updated or if you wanna ask questions and such. Let me know what you think. I hope you guys have a wonderful holiday season and a great rest of the week!


	17. The More You Know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who is ready for an entire chapter from Red's point of view? I am!
> 
> I hope everyone had wonderful holidays and here is wishing everyone a happy new year!
> 
> **As a side note italics indicate things being read from books!

**~Red~**

I sighed as I slouched against the brick wall of the alleyway. How fucking long did it take to close a stupid bakery, her employees left an hour ago. A frustrated growl rumbled in my nonexistent throat as I reached up to pick at my false tooth and resisted the urge to start pacing. I had been standing in this stupid alley all afternoon, just out of site of the street and the door labeled ‘Employee Entrance.’

Boss had come home in a mood after Creampuff and Baby Blue had drug him off to some bakery. It took me hours to get him to even half-ass tell me what had happened. When he did, I felt my marrow boil in my bones. No one fucked with me or mine.

I couldn’t exactly go after Creampuff or Baby Blue, Classic and Stretch would have my skull on a pike if I did. But the little bitch who dared put her hands on my brother, she was fair game. It didn’t matter that she was fun to flirt with and a nice ass and sick tatts. When she finally came out of this stupid bakery, we were going to **h a v e a g o o d t i m e** **.**

The sun had set, and the streetlights had started to flicker on down the street. This world’s Grillby’s sign lit up in a rich neon glow. If I wasn’t dead set on proving a point, I would have left a long time ago to get a bottle of mustard and pass out on the bar top. She better hurry up before I went in there.

Just as I am about break into the bakery and find her myself, the woman finally steps out of the door. Almost immediately, she pauses with the door clicking shut behind her, keys in hand and scanning the alley. I watch from the shadows as she pockets her keys but keeps the door unlocked. Smart. Not that it matters.

“hey bud. how’s it goin’?” I step out into a sliver of light that fell through the alley. “nice evenin’ ain’t it?

She doesn’t respond, just leans against the doorframe and watches me with those weird purple eyes. Which is fine with me, it is probably best that she didn’t talk. It would probably just make me even madder than I already was.

“have a good day? heard my bro came in t’day.” My grin widens dangerously and the magic spilling from my eye light illuminates the dark, causing her hair to glow a soft red. I can see the tense set of her shoulders from where I stand. “heard ya had a issue with ‘em.”

“More like he had an issue with my employee.” The nonchalant tone of her voice makes my magic boil. She doesn’t move from her relaxed pose as I take a threatening step closer, my patience running out. Magic billows out of my left socket like smoke.

Violently I grip onto her soul and pull her into an encounter, done playing around. As usual, all the color in the world around us washes out completely and we are bathed in the glow of our respective souls. She finally shifts to stand in a defensive stance.

“now listen ta me huma-“ The growl reverberating in my ribcage suddenly fades out as my eye lights come to a rest on the soul bobbing calmly in front of her. The heart-shaped culmination of her being was not what I had expected at all.

The soul before me glowed vibrantly with a haze of amethyst magic surrounding it. I can see wisps of cyan and tangerine intermingling, threading in and out of the purple hues. There was a soft shape to it, plush rather than the sharp, crystalline structure I have come to associate with human souls. A deep crack cuts through its soft surface, starting at the pointed end of the heart and spiderwebbing, thinning as it reached for the edges. The crack was old and scarred like it refused to heal completely. Despite this, the soul still glowed vibrantly with persistent life.

The soul before me was the soul of a person who refused to give up. And most of all, I realized as I stared at it, astounded, watching it bob gently with the purple mist pulsing faintly, the soul was a white inverted heart.

This was the soul of a monster.

I inhale sharply and immediately used a check once I realized it was my turn, she had passed on her’s. The heady scent of peaches laced with warm cinnamon floods my skull and alarm shoots through my bones. What I saw caused my eye lights to flicker out.

**Luna**

**LV: 17**

**HP: 850**

**AT: 42**

**DF: 20**

***Wildcard**

A wave of dizzying vertigo hits me. Shit. Shit! Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit! She could have dusted Papyrus! She can dust me! Fuck! And I pulled her into an encounter! He threatened her! Stars Damn It! We were so dead. I’m so dead. Shit! Beads of sweat pour down my skull.

A check pings softly off my soul as she takes her turn. Much to my surprise, she merely tilts her head curiously. I don’t know what she saw but her purple glowing eyes soften as they watch me, not even a hint of ill intent coming from her soul. It pulses softly with life and surprisingly, understanding.

She isn’t attacking, or moving, or fleeing, or anything. She is just standing there calmly watching and waiting for me to take my turn. She had every right to strike me down for pulling her into an encounter like this. Every right to hunt down my brother and make an example of him for challenging her in her territory. But she didn’t.

It was then that I realized that her appearance had changed since the start of the encounter.

Black markings weaved down the sides of her face, starting from the corners of now sharp, predatorial eyes. Her face had grown sharper, and her ears now were pointed. She didn’t look like any monster I had ever seen. But the white glowing soul in front of me said that she was a monster. A soft haze of purple magic flickered around the edges of her face as if the encounter was clearing a fog around it. She looks a lot more intense than she had before, her opal-colored hair gleaming in the combined light of our souls.

In my frightened confusion, I check her again.

**Luna**

**LV: 17**

**HP: 850**

**AT: 42**

**DF: 20**

***She hopes that you will be ok.**

She was worried about me? The scent of cinnamon laced peaches that had sent a thrill of alarm through my soul before, grew stronger. But rather than making me feel more on edge, it was almost soothing and made my mind feel fuzzy as my eye lights tried to flicker back to life. Why was she worried about me?

I glance back to her soul, floating calmly, and I feel my own soul pulse from its place floating in front of my sternum. Her soul echoes with a soft glowing pulse of its own. The gasp this draws from me fills my skull with more of that dizzying scent. I’m stuck standing there like a dumbstruck froggit, staring at her soul. Shit. I’m staring at her soul. Fuck. My magic flares embarrassingly across my cheek bones.

As I am about to tear my eye lights away from staring obscenely at her soul, I notice very faint scarlet haze floating and intermixing with the cyan and tangerine as it begins to dance though the amethyst. What the-

The cool feeling of being spared washes over my soul and I can finally tear my eye lights away. I glance to Luna briefly, a soft smile on her lips with the tip of fangs (?) peaking between them, before I quickly accept the spare. I was finally free from the encounter. The reality of the situation hits me like a mac truck once more and I feel ice wash down my spine.

“fuck!” I quickly teleport out of the alleyway, landing in a heap on my trashed bed. My bones rattle violently as I suck in unneeded breaths, inhaling the scent of stagnant laundry and mustard that clung to the ball of sheets I had buried my face in. I had to calm down. I really need to calm down. Breathe Sans. Fucking breathe.

How long it takes me to pry the icy grip of panic from my spine, I don’t know. The house is silent for the most part as reality comes rushing back in like water. The sounds of the settling house, the soft sound of wind outside my window, the hum of the air conditioning, all invade my senses like a thick blanket of white noise. I don’t know what time it is. Probably late considering I don’t even hear Classic puttering around doing what ever the fuck he does late at night.

What the happened back there? I push myself up and turn so I can lean against the wall my mattress is pressed up against. Alright Sans, time to get to the bottom of this.

I went to confront that woman. No Luna. I went to confront Luna for messing with Boss. I confronted her and then….

She is a monster. Luna is a fucking monster. But not any monster I have ever seen. What monster looks like a human? And what was with those weird ass markings on her face? She could have dusted Boss so easily; she was so high leveled. Shit she could-

I stop myself before I can start hyperventilating. After a moment or two of steady breathing, the analytic side of my brain starts kicking in and curiosity rears its ugly head. I need to figure out what kind of monster she is. Preferably before either Boss or myself see her again. Classic has a big library on the third floor, right? He isn’t awake for me to ask, not that I would, but he wouldn’t mind if I looked at a few of those fancy books of his. Right?

I would have to be careful; I didn’t need to get me and Boss into more trouble than we already were. What was he fucking thinking, challenging such a high leveled monster in her own fucking territory? I thought I raised the bonehead better than that. With a grumble, I visualize the library I had poked my head into a couple times since we moved in, gathered my magic, and took a short cut into it.

Floor to ceiling bookshelves lined not only the walls but created a maze throughout the large room. It wasn’t too hard to figure out how the books were organized; it was a system very similar to my own back when I worked in the labs underground. I immediately began wondering the shelves that would lead me to the section Classic would keep any kind of monsterology books. Surely, he had a couple of those squirreled away somewhere.

There were three in total, each written by a different scientist, one of which being human. With a scoff, I quickly put that one back on the shelf and tucked the other two under my arm. I briefly pondered taking them back to my room where my reading glasses were but quickly shot it down. Didn’t need the books to go missing in the black hole I called a room. Maybe Boss was right, it was getting a little messy even for me.

Deciding to forgo my glasses, I quietly stalked through the shelves, looking for a place to read through the books in peace. It was in the back of the room that I found a desk with a comfortable chair situated near a small reading nook that was set up in a large window seat. The window seat was set up with a large comfortable cushion and multiple soft pillows. There was a small table next to it and the seat itself looked large enough for even Mutt to be able to comfortably lounge in.

After inspecting the window seat, I chose to sit at the desk. I was less likely to fall asleep there, though I have been able to pass out in more uncomfortable places. There were a few notebooks and textbooks scattered across the wooden surface but the space in front of the chair was clear. It would work. I dropped the two books onto the desk and quickly pulled out the chair.

I decided to start with the smaller of the two tombs, it would seem there were a lot more subspecies of monster than I had originally thought.

~~~

With a frustrated groan, I shut the book and shove it away. That had been useless. It was written by someone who had specialized in geology. And while that was a cool subject in itself, it didn’t mean that they were qualified to categorize and record the many different monster subspecies. They had obviously been born way after the barrier had been erected and had only managed to record half of the monsters that were found in this world’s underground before calling it quits. Why Classic even has this book, I don’t know.

That was a waste of my time. I rub bridge of my nasal bone and sigh. Hopefully the other book had more information. I slid it in front of me and quickly flipped to the table of contents. Silently I leaned back and forth until I found the distance where the words came into focus. Wish I had my stupid glasses.

I was delighted to find that it was way more organized that the other book. There was a section with a brief history of monsters as well as a section for theories pertaining to the speciation of monsters. From there the book was divided into body types and then even further divided into small categories.

I ran my finger down the page, skipping the limbless and the quadrupeds, stopping at the bipedal monsters. Unsurprisingly, there were quite a few subheadings listed under this. One subheading read _“Animalistic”_ with many different animal types listed underneath. A little further down, past _“Elementals”_ , was a heading that read _“Humanoid”_. The first subheading under that was _“Skeleton Monsters”_ followed by a plethora of others.

It was a place to start. Luna definitely fell under the category of humanoid. Hell, I had thought she was human at first. Apparently, many of the others did as well, especially Baby Blue who seemed to refuse to call her anything else. Though I had a feeling he knew more than he let on, the sneaky little shit.

I flipped to the page number at the start of the section and was even more pleased to find it organized into a clearly labeled taxonomic key. The author was a genius, and this made my search so much easier. I place a clawed finger at the start of key and began to follow it.

_“1. Presence of skin.”_ Yes. I moved down the page to number 35.

_“35. Skin is close to natural human colorations or skin is brightly colored (i.e. blue, green, purple, etc.).”_ Most of Luna’s skin was pale and looked like other human’s skin. Aside from the tattoos. So, I chose that one and moved to number 108.

_“108. When lacking magical glamour, monster has pointed ears or rounded ears.”_ I had no idea what glamour was and quickly looked it up on my phone. It must have been that haze I had saw around her face during the encounter. Her face had changed after I had pulled her into the encounter. I assume that mean she was lacking a glamour after being pulled into our encounter. She had had sharp, pointed ears. Number 156 it was.

_“156. Presence of markings around eyes.”_ Luna had those weird black curved lines around her eyes and cheeks. So, I guess that was a yes. That section of the key stopped there, having done its job identifying the monster subspecies. At the end of the line it read:

_“Genre: Monster. Body Type: Bipedal. Class: Humanoid. Subspecies: Vampire. See page 1394.”_

Vampire? I had never heard of that before. But I also haven’t heard of over three fourths of the monsters listed in the humanoid section alone. Extremely curious and enraptured in this scientific hunt, I quickly began flipping through the pages to find 1394. After a few minutes of turning pages, I found the page with the word _“Vampire”_ printed in large letters at the top and started reading.

_“I have found the vampire subspecies to be quite fascinating. Like any other subspecies of monster, they hold their own culture and traditions alongside their unique physical aspects. Though I must sadly say that my last interaction with this subspecies was before the barrier was created, during the war. I am unsure as to whether list this subspecies as extinct or not since none are found in the underground at this time. There could still be members of this subspecies left behind aboveground, or they could have been hunted to extinction by this point in time. But for the sake of holding out hope, I will list their status as Unknown until proven otherwise.”_

I stopped for a moment and reread the paragraph again. It was almost written like personal lab notes, or a journal. You didn’t see that very often in scientific texts. It was a nice break from the usual dry, unending passages that I usually read in books like this.

_“My past interaction with vampires has done nothing but prove that there are hardy, cryptic and adaptable monsters. To be able to properly identify a vampire, I shall describe how they typically appear without the aid of magic as I have done with the other humanoid subspecies._

_“Vampires can be identified from other humanoid monsters through two key features. The first being a set of unique marks that start around the eyes and often frame the face, some stopping just below the cheek bone and others reaching as far as the individual’s jaw. The vampire subspecies are one of the few subspecies of monster that have birthmarks and the only of the humanoid class with this characteristic. Each birthmark is wholly unique to the individual born with. Much like magical signatures, no two individuals (even in the case of identical twins) will have the same birthmarks._

_“The second key feature is a distinct set of fangs. Unlike lycanthropes (see page 2000), who have dental characteristics much like wolves and other large mammalian predators, vampires have highly specialized teeth distinctive to their feeding requirements. Vampires have two sets of fangs. The top set include a pair of long, thin canines that often overlap the bottom jaw, slotting together rather than creating an overbite. The top pair of fangs are accompanied by sharp (but not pointed) incisors, the rest of the existing teeth in the upper jaw are mostly normal in comparison to other humanoid monsters. The bottom jaw holds a second set of much smaller fangs that usually only extend up to a half inch or so above the other teeth in the bottom jaw and slot together with the upper set. All the incisors on the bottom jaw are sharp, pointed and slightly curved._

_“These specialized dentitions are crucial in allowing vampires to get the sustenan_ _ce they require to survive. I will discuss their dietary needs further as well as function of their teeth in further in the physiology segment of this section._

_“Another feature used to identify vampires is the presence of vibrant and distinct tattoos that cover a large portion of their upper body (and more depending on the individual). These tattoos or marks as they refer to them as, are used to tell of an individual’s life, achievements, experiences, qualifications, and much more. These marks are usually thick, black and flowing designs layered on top of a background (canvas or base). The canvas or base of the marks vary depending on individual preference, but the main marks are usually uniform to other’s in order to clearly publicize their meaning. Each mark has specific placements for each meaning and often leave space for adjustments and additions later in life. I will also discuss these placements and meanings further in the cultural/traditions portion of this section.”_

I sigh and lean back, noticing that the section on vampires is quite large, much like the other sections. It was filled with a lot of valuable information. I glance toward the window seat and see that it is still dark outside.

Luna definitely had those weird birthmarks on her face, and I felt that it was safe to assume that all of those tattoos she has are those markings the book spoke of. Even though I only got a small peek at them, if I had to take a guess, I would presume that she also had a full set of fangs as well. She had to be a vampire, too many of the characteristics lined up. I was curious as to what the book meant by “feeding requirements.” Didn’t they eat monster food like any other monster? What else could they possibly need? They were just another type of monster, right?

Another sigh leaves me, the air whooshing out of my nasal passage. This was a lot to process, but I was still curious. The book seemed to answer a lot of questions but also seemed to create twice as many as it answered. As I am reaching to pick up the book again, something on the desk catches my eye. Laying innocuously on the side of the desk is a dark green, leather bound book full of small colorful tabs. Beside it is a thoroughly worn notebook and pen, both closed.

Something about the embossed leather called out to me. It felt like I needed to read it and I needed to do it now. Classic wouldn’t mind, right? He left it out for anyone to see. It wasn’t like I was going to snoop through his notes, I wasn’t that stupid. I took note of the page I stopped on, saving it in the note app in my phone, and closed the text book so I could move it out of the way.

I carefully picked the book up and tilted it so I could read the title as the raised text reflected off the light.

“ _’the totality of our being’…_ ” I frown down at the book and turn it every way I can to see who wrote it. There is no author name on the cover nor on the spine. “weird…”

With a shrug I flip to the first of the colorful tabs and quickly read the title of the chapter.

_“A Study of Soulmates and Other Soul Bonds”_ My soul immediately began to pound after I read that. Holy shit, what was Classic doing looking into this? I feel a pit form in my nonexistent stomach but can’t help but to read on regardless. Something in me told me I had to read this.

_“In my study of souls, soul bonds, and soulmates; I have found that there isn’t an exact science to it all. Despite many calling it soul science or soulology. At the risk of sounding waxing poetic, the soul wants what the soul wants and will often form bonds without the conscious effort of the being themselves. Familial, paternal, and other social bonds are often formed and nurtured consciously and require effort to maintain. Bonds between soulmates, I have come to find from personal experience, are often unconscious bonds that can actually go unnoticed for some time unless you are acutely attuned to your soul or monitor its state often. While they still require nurturing and the strength of the bond is formed through the efforts of both parties, a soulmate bond with begin to form regardless of any effort put forth._

_“In this chapter I will mostly focus on the soulmate bonds because of the wealth of common knowledge of the other bond types. This does not make them any less integral, I merely feel that they do not require a full chapter’s dedication. A soulmate bond, though rare, is actually more common than most have come to believe. Due to their unconscious formation, the bond itself can go unnoticed for quite some time, which leads to the belief of their rarity. I would also like to mention that, unlike common belief, an individual can have multiple soulmates. I do not know quite how many are possible, but I have seen rare cases of soulmate triads before monsters were sealed underground. Since the barrier was erected, I have only observed three cases of soulmates, including my own._

_“The first of these cases is that of King and Queen Dreemurr. They allowed me to question their experience with their bond when I first started my study. They report finding out about their bond at a young age, when King Asgore was only a Prince. The bond, however, wasn’t completed until their coronation and wedding ceremony. They spent the years leading up to the bond’s completion, strengthening and exploring the extent of the bond’s limits._

_“The second case was that of the Dogi, Dogamy and Dogaressa, who were unaware of the bond’s presence until its completion after their wedding ceremony. I was unable to obtain much information from the pair on their bond due to their limited verbal skills, but I was able to indeed confirm that their bond was that of soulmates. The information that I do have is a culmination of personal experience, the information that the King and Queen were willing to share, and what I have been able to piece together from legends that have persisted through monster history. All current knowledge is pertaining to monster as I have yet been able to observe these bonds in humans.”_

I was beginning to quickly notice that this author had to be the same who wrote the monsterology book. The writing was uncannily similar as well as the wellspring of knowledge that this book held. I would have to check when I finished reading who wrote these books. For now, the text on the page before me kept my attention riveted despite my eye lights beginning to strain from reading so long without my glasses.

_“The simplest way to confirm a soulmate bond (aside some general attraction and tugging toward another individual) is to observe the soul of either one or all individuals included in the presumed bond. This is because a soulmate bond is the only bond that will leave physical traces on one’s soul both before and after its completion. Normally a monster’s soul is white and surrounded by a haze that matches the color of their magic. Before bond is completed, the traces are more subtle but still discernable upon physical observation of the soul. The bond can be identified by the presence of the other individuals’ magic color within the haze of owner’s magic color. While the color of the bondmate’s magic may not be as prominent as the preexisting magic, it will be easily identifiable._

_“If you suspect the presence of a soulmate bond, the confirmation is as simple as checking your own soul for the other individual’s magic. Because of my extreme interest in soulology, I was able to pick up on the presence of my soulmate very early on, possibly within days of the bond first forming. I had been alarmed at first when I found my now wife’s cerulean magic floating among my own wine-colored haze. Upon expressing my uneducated concerns to the King, I quickly found out the meaning behind the new addition to my soul’s composition. I immediately began documenting the whole process and the changes in my own personal notes. Most of which are too private and circumstantial to include in this book. I shall leave it behind however, to aid my own offspring should they ever come across their own soulmate(s)._

_“Once you have identified the presence of a soulmate bond, you can decide with your mate or mates whether to allow the bond to remain as is or to take the necessary steps needed to strengthen and complete your bond. I will note that once the bond is completed, its physical appearance will change drastically. I will discuss this further once I explain the steps needed to complete the bond below.”_

I stared down at the page until my vision and eye lights began to blur. The fact that soulmates not only existed but were actually common in this world caused my head to swim. So many thoughts swirled endlessly in my exhausted brain that I could barely pick one out from the other. Light began to trickly through the sheer curtains in the reading nook. My body decided to remind me that I hadn’t slept in over 24 hours, maybe I will be able to process all of the new information once I have gotten a few dozen hours of sleep.

With sluggish, robotic movements, I found myself putting down the book where I had found it and gathering the two monsterology books I had pushed aside in favor of snooping. After they were put back on the shelf, I gathered my magic and appeared back in my room. Without removing my shoes, I let myself collapse face first on my mattress in hopes of passing out.

But sleep didn’t come like it usually did. My soul fluttered like a small bird in my ribcage, keeping me conscious. I groaned as I heaved myself onto my back and made sure my door was locked before holding my hand above my sternum. What had gotten into me? Was I just that stressed?

With a plucking motion, I drew my soul out. After running a check on the scared white, inverted heart that bobbed above my palm, I found that my health was sitting at its max Hp of 5. All my stats held at their norm. Nothing was amiss. Nothing new- wait what was that?

I sit up, frowning as my soul thumps, pulsing excitedly in my palm. There! That isn’t my imagination, right? I bring my soul closer and what I see leaves me breathless and for the first time since I could remember, I am filled with Hope.

There, dancing teasingly throughout the thick haze of scarlet surrounding my soul, was wisps of amethyst. The vibrant, gem-colored magic weaved in and out of view as if it was almost shy and unsure. After double and triple checking, I confirmed that it wasn’t a trick of the light, nor was it my imagination. Amethyst twinkled back at me every time I looked. Holy shit.

The sounds of the livelier members of the house waking for the day startles me out of my revere. Quickly but carefully, I guide my soul back to its place in my chest and flop back onto my mattress. Holy shit. With both hands resting on my sternum, I stare up at my ceiling in shock.

Absentmindedly I turn off my lights with magic and the sudden darkness brings back my exhaustion tenfold. But who-?

Just as I think it, concerned amethyst eyes appear in my mind’s eye and remain there as sleep finally wins and pulls me under. Their gentle glow follows me into my dreams.

Holy shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bwahahahahahahaha! XD
> 
> I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, I know I enjoyed writing it!  
> Who is this mysterious author who knows so much? 
> 
> BTW, the taxonomic key I wrote here is loosely based off of real dichotomous keys I have actually used. It may not be exactly formatted like a true dichotomous key but I feel like it gets the point across without having to fight with the formatting and creating a real one.
> 
> I hope everyone has a wonderful week and start of the new year!


	18. The Scent of a Woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So guess who got sick? This girl! I'm all good now and have been cleared to come back to work but lets just say it has been a rough three weeks. Last week was my first week back on the job and I was exhausted. I'm still not at full energy but I do feel loads better. 
> 
> Btw I asked a chapter or so ago if you guys wanted me to make a tumblr for the story. I never got any answers but I made one regardles XD It doesn't have anything posted to it yet but I am hoping to change that soon once I get it all figured out. Here is a link to it ( http://isilmelinde.tumblr.com/ )
> 
> I really hope you guys like this chapter, sorry it took so long to get it done!

I was exhausted when I finally locked the employee entrance Thursday night. It had been such a long week and I had just had an even longer day. Three new orders came in this morning, one of them a rush delivery. Since I had thought I had the time and the customer was willing to pay the extra fees for a rush job, I had taken the order and immediately set to work. I would have had a third of the time to complete the large cake and I needed to get as much done as possible so that when I left Tony in charge tomorrow and Saturday, he wouldn’t be too busy with the cake and running the bakery. 

  
I had gotten all of the layers baked and dirty iced and was prepping the fondant when the customer had returned, none to quietly expressing their discontentedness with finding out that the bakery was monster owned. Had they not realized when they came in? Did they not see the emblem on the door that the city required all monster own businesses to display? I guess that small detail evaded them until a friend of theirs had informed them that a monster did indeed own the Black Orchid Bakery. 

  
She had raised a huge fuss, yelling and disturbing my customers until I had agreed to terminate her order and refund her money. I had done so easily, there was no way I would ever want her money if this was how she was going to treat my establishment. The satisfaction of knowing that I wouldn’t be serving a racist customer only kind of softened the blow that the loss of such a large order had dealt. I had had to send Tony back into the kitchen to keep him from losing his cool, I didn’t need a complaint on top of the loss of money. 

  
After I had scrapped the cake into a huge batch of colored cake pops, I began setting up the office and everything else so that everything would run smoothly while I was gone. In the middle of finishing the internet billing and payroll, I had gotten a call from the Embassy. They had not only wanted me there three hours earlier, but also wanted me to attend a dinner with the royals tomorrow evening in preparation for the next day when I would be addressing the clans. This meant not only would I be getting less sleep, but I would be spending the entirety of both days at the embassy in full official dress. It was going to an extremely long weekend. 

  
I double checked the locks one more time, balancing the large confectionary boxes on my arm. To top it all off, I had been dealing with six new skeletons making my life even harder than it already was. I understood that not only were they dealing with life aboveground for the first time but also processing the reality of being in an entirely new universe completely different from their own. But they made it even harder for me to spend time with my mates and to top it all off, some of them have made it their personal vendetta to make my life hell. I lean my back against the door and let out a long suffering sigh. If the other day was anything to go off of, then at least one of them was one of my soulmate. I still wasn’t quite sure what to do with that information, and considering that I hadn’t heard from Red since that night, I’m guessing he didn’t either. 

  
Sliding the keys into my pockets, I shift the boxes so they rest on both of my arms as I make my way down the alley to the sidewalk. After carefully checking the dark street, I quickly cross over to Grillby’s. When I finally shoulder the door open, I am met with the loud din of a busy bar. Peering around the boxes shows me that almost every table and booth is filled with monsters. A few brave humans cluster together here and there. The stools around the bar are almost completely full as well, monsters from all four clans cluster together in groups, eyeing each other wearily. I could cut the tension in the air with a knife and raise an eyebrow as my eyes meet with Grillby’s behind the bar. He looks as exhausted as I felt. It almost makes me wonder how many fights he has had to break up today, but then I remember the clear cease fire that was his establishment. 

  
I begin to pick my way across the main floor of the bar, careful to mind drunken elbows, lifting my boxes clear of a few clumsy patrons. My usual spot is thankfully clear, Sans’ however is filled by a hood with yellow fur. 

  
“Long day?” Grillby’s soft crackling voice carries through the noise of drunken patrons. I heave out a sigh and carefully set the boxes down on the bar top. 

  
“You don’t know the half of it.” I open the top box to reveal all the cake pops I had made. “Figured you wouldn’t mind something sweet and I need the PR. You don’t mind, do you?”

  
Grillby lets out a surprised whooshing noise, his version of a whistle. He knew from experience that when a cake gets scrapped, I make cake pops. Right now, I had four large confectionary boxes filled with cake pops. It had been a large cake.

  
“Go for it dear.” Grillby chuckles, crackling and popping as he reaches below the bar and takes out bottle of barbeque sauce and places it in front of the skeleton next to me. Mutt sits up, seemingly awoken by the bottle placed before him. I glance at him, amber eye lights looking at me appreciatively, almost sizing me up. I return the look with one of my own. He doesn’t look drunk, just tired. He either hasn’t been here long or he just wasn’t drinking much. Grillby’s crackling voice breaks me out of our staring contest. “Do you want your usual?”

  
“Just the drink please.” I don’t miss the concerned look he sends me before heading to the kitchen. It has been a stressful week; my stomach was in knots and the usual dull pains have steadily been increasing to stabbing cramps. But until everything calms down some, there wasn’t much I could do other than grin and bear it. Despite how much my lack of appetite worried my friend and mates. With a sigh, I lean my back against the bar and raise my voice. “Hey! Got free cake pops to whoever wants them! They are all chocolate! First come, first serve!”

  
The bar goes silent for a few moments before an uproarious din kicks up and patrons swarm to grab some of the sweets I had brought. I get a glimpse of Mutt’s eye lights shrinking as he carefully ducks down and out of the way of reaching hands. With quick, practiced movements, I open up the boxes and begin distributing the cake pops to whoever wanted them. Most of the monsters laughing and joking as they waited or moved around each other to grab theirs, then previous tension in the room dissolving into thin air. Laughter and small talk pass between monsters of different clans, some nudging each other good naturedly or passing some of the cake pops back to the smaller and meeker monsters who were having trouble making their way to the bar. 

  
I feel a small smile stretch across my lips as I hand the last pop away to a tipsy bunny monster. It soothed the frustration in my soul to see some common decency. When the bunny left, wobbling back to their table, I broke down the boxes and moved them aside as Grillby sat my drink down. Most of my previous energy left me as I slumped down onto the bar stool. 

  
“Thanks B.” I slide the drink closer and take a sip from it. I glance over to see Mutt watching me, looking a little ruffled. “So what brings you here?”

  
It takes him a moment of watching me before he turns to grab his barbeque sauce and takes a long drag from it.

  
“was bored. my bro is busy and i havn’t been ‘ble ta find red since the other day.” Mutt set down the bottle and watched me curiously as I sipped at my drink. “so i fig’red i’d come here an’ see what it was like. pretty different fr’m what ‘m used ta, but it’ll do.” 

  
I nod in understanding, curious as to where Red had disappeared to but held my tongue. I’d get the chance to talk to him soon, hopefully. I watch as Mutt takes another long drag from his bottle.

  
“So, you drink barbeque sauce? That’s weird, though I don’t have any room to talk.” I chuckle softly, trying to make small talk. I wonder what Red and Stretch drank. Did they drink condiments too? Most likely, it was just a matter of how unusual their tastes were compared to Sans’. Mutt raises a brow bone at my drink.

  
“’ow so?” He tilts his head curiously and I smile and take another drink from my glass.

  
“You don’t wanna know.” I watch Grillby hustle back and forth from the bar to the kitchen and to tables, repeating the cycle, trying to keep up with all his customers. 

  
“maybe i do.” This makes me glance back over to Mutt. He is looking at me like he did when I walked in, like he was trying to size me up but his eye lights twinkle with curiosity. I feel my shoulders lift, tensing around my ears defensively. “maybe i wanna know jus’ how weird ya are.”

  
My eyebrows shoot up and the suggestive undertone and I am about to respond when Grillby comes over to take my now empty glass, tilting his head in silent question if I wanted a refill. I shake my head ‘no’ and he takes the glass back to the kitchen to be cleaned. By the time I turn back to Mutt, he is still eyeing me but as seemed to shifted back to a nonchalant attitude once more. It was such a quick change of demeanor that I was left with a vague feeling of whiplash. 

  
“so, why are ya here?” Mutt rests his arm on the bar and his cheek bone on an open palm, watching me with tired eyes.

  
“Needed a break and wanted to see my friend.” I nod toward Grillby as he sweeps by. “That and had to get rid of those cake pops somehow. I sure as hell didn’t want to take them home.”

  
“where did ya get all those an’ways?” Mutt seems to just want to make small talk now, so I let my shoulders relax. He was easier to talk to when it didn’t feel like he was trying to figure out your deepest darkest secrets.   
Sadly for him, I wasn’t in much a sharing mood. I just wanted to take a breather before driving back to an empty apartment to working on packing a few boxes before I passed out for the night. That was if I could get to sleep tonight, a sharp pain in my abdomen reminded me just how far I was pushing my body this week. I wished for a moment that it was a quiet night and I could stay late talking to Grillby until he closed. If anyone understood my frustration it would be him. But he was extremely busy and probably would be that way until last call.

  
“You sure have a lot of questions.” I rested my chin on my hand in mimicry of Mutt’s pose, watching him quietly as he shrugged nonchalantly. 

  
“’m a curious monster, and ya are an ‘nterest’n person.” There was a gleam to his eye light that said it was more than that but I don’t think he was in a sharing mood either. I could feel that he was trying to pick me apart.   
There was a faint brush of warm bubbling magic and the strong scent of musky earth mixed with the sweet smell of cigar smoke. As pleasant as the smell was, my stressed body rebelled against the intruding challenge his magic presented and I could feel my right eye twitch. I clenched my jaw to hold back my magic that wanted to lash out to get him to back off. What was with these skeletons and pushing boundaries so blatantly?! 

  
“Well I hate to disappoint but I’m not going to be satisfying your curiosity tonight.” There was a warning in my voice as I waved Grillby over to tell him goodbye. He gave me a quick hug over the bar before rushing off to answer to call of a drunken patron. The warmth radiating from his being quickly retreating and reminding me of the empty apartment that awaited me. “See you around Mutt.”

  
He watched me for a moment with that level amber stare before pushing his bottle away and standing alongside me, stretching his back out and straightening to his full height. Damn he was tall. 

  
“might as well head out too. my bro will be pissed if i stay out ‘ny later.” I resist the urge to sigh as I rub a hand over my face before turning for the door. A few of the regulars wave goodbye as I leave with the towering skeleton following closely behind. At least he would be gone quickly, probably would take a short cut back to the house.

  
I didn’t expect a bony hand to pull me off the sidewalk as I moved to cross the street where my bike waited for me. Before I could blink I felt bricks pressing into my back and had to hold myself back from lashing out on instinct. I didn’t want more dust on my hands.

  
A large bony hand held my shoulder, pressing me firmly against the alley wall. I looked up to see Mutt looming over me, his left forearm pressed against the wall supporting him as he leaned down. A lazy grin had settled on his teeth and his eyes gleamed in the dark. My hands were gripping his vest defensively. I felt a growl claw its way out of my throat as I bared my teeth.

  
“What the Fuck do you think you are doing?!” I growled up at him and nearly decked him then and there when the grin shifted to a smirk.

  
“jus playing is all. ya need to chill little angel.” Mutt chuckled low in his ribcage and I felt my temper flare higher.

  
“No. You’re not playing. You’re testing me.” I growl, gripping his vest tighter. “And I don’t like to be tested.”

  
As soon as the words left my mouth I struck out with my right hand, hitting the inner elbow of his right arm, causing it to fold. When it folded, I reached across with my left and hooked it on his left side, pulling and pushing hard as I flipped him around. His back hit the wall next to where I had been pinned with a satisfying thud.

  
Moving on pure instinct, I slapped a hand over his mouth, pushing his head back sharply as I grabbed his clavicle. I used it as leverage to yank him down to my level. He made a strangled sound in the back of his nonexistent throat as I dove for his cervical vertebrae. I stopped with both sets of fangs resting against the bone, pressing in just enough that he wouldn’t move.

  
I could feel his magic humming and fluttering though his bones, his scent seemed to envelop my senses. My head spun as I held myself perfectly still, hands gripping the skeleton in front of me tightly. I fought the instinct to bite down, to move closer, to give in. Faintly I could hear the rattle of bones and my soul thrashed in my chest, causing a tremble to run down my spine. My jaw tightened slightly and the sound of rattling grew louder as my fangs barely sunk into the bones. My magic flared wildly around us, causing the temperature to skyrocket before plummeting. 

  
Air whooshed between my fingers where they gripped Mutt’s jaw and I could feel the ribcage beneath me heave. It broke the spell my instincts had put me under. I all but flung myself away from Mutt and immediately turned to leave the alley. My glamour had broken, there was no way in hell it stood up to that. I could hear the scrape of clothing against the bricks and I quickly strode away. I didn’t say anything, I didn’t need to. The message was clear ‘don’t push me.’ A message I hope was shared with the others if I was lucky. I didn’t feel that lucky.

  
My chest heaved as I grabbed my helmet and threw it on before firing up my bike. I needed to get home. Now.

  
I broke every speed law there was on the way to my apartment, thankful none of the cops were out tonight. When I parked my bike, I ran up the stairs as fast as I could. I barely stopped to unlock my door. Once it was securely shut behind me, I leaned against it and slid down to the floor, my head resting below the frozen handle. Woodsy musk and sweet cigar smoke had chased me home.

  
My whole mouth ached. My soul violently heaved in my chest causing my breathing to stutter. My hand reached up to cover my mouth as I drew my knees up to my chest. I bit down on my palm, hard enough to hurt but not enough to break skin. My fangs throbbed to sink into something. The blood I had drank at the bar wasn’t enough and I felt half starved. Something wet ran down my wrist and I jerked my hand away to see translucent purple tears running down my arm.

  
When had I started crying? I scrubbed angrily at my face. I didn’t deserve to cry. I had lost control and could have seriously hurt or dusted Mutt. With a growl I heaved myself to my feet and quickly made my way to my bathroom. Packing could wait a night.

  
I took a scalding hot shower and scrubbed my skin raw before crawling into bed with my hair still damp. My soul had calmed down and I felt like I could breathe with the familiar scent of my shampoo and bedding clouding my senses. Bringing a hand up to my mouth as I laid, sprawled across my bed. My fangs still throbbed as I pressed my thumb to the back of one. The pressure as I pressed hard brought some relief. Only some though. 

  
The thought of the satisfying give of bone beneath my fangs had me pulling my hand away quickly as I clenched my teeth hard. I shook my head to clear it before rolling over to burry my face into my blankets. None of that. I had what I needed, blood from the blood bank and nutrient powder. It wasn’t as good as the fresh stuff but it was enough to keep me alive. 

I heave out a sigh as a pain shoots through my stomach. My soul clenches painfully, calling out as I clutch at my chest where it lay. For who, I didn’t know. If you could call this living. 

  
**~Mutt~**

“jus playing is all. ya need to chill little angel.” That’s what she looked like right now, and angel there pinned under me. Her white hair flared around her head like a halo and those intense purple eyes glowing with an almost righteous fury. I chuckled softly, an angry little angel. 

  
“No. You’re not playing. You’re testing me.” Her growl was fierce and I couldn’t help but to smirk down at her as she gripped my vest. “And I don’t like to be tested.”

  
Before I could reply, I felt my arm give out and found the air being knocked out of my nonexistent lungs. I was pinned against the brick wall of the alley I had ported us to with no idea how I got there. Her hand gripped tightly over my teeth as she pushed my skull back, I could feel bone scrape against the brick. My knees nearly buckled when her other hand hooked itself on my clavicle, and with strength I didn’t know she had, yanked me down in tandem with the hand pushing my skull back. 

  
My cervical vertebrae were fully exposed and quick as a viper, before I could bring my hands up to summon an attack, she was there. I could feel four sharp points pressing into the bone warningly and froze, hands hovering in the air and magic humming in the air. I wasn’t stupid, I knew if I moved that those four pricks of faint pain would sink deeper. With the right intent, my 7 points of Hp wouldn’t stand a chance. 

  
I inhaled as deep as I dared and the smell of peaches and rose flooded my nasal passage. I could get addicted to that smell. My bones began to rattle as the initial jolt of fear and surprise began to wear off. Those four points of pressure sent jolts down my spine as my soul threatened to leap out of my ribcage. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and pull her close, to be as close as possible.

  
The rattling of my bones grew louder as she bit down harder, sparks of pleasure shooting through my body. I could feel a tremor run through her as the scent tripled in strength, the air around us fluctuating with her magic. My magic sparked in response, almost feeling like it was egging her on. Wanting her to sink in deeper. 

  
I let out a rattling breath so I could inhale again, my hands twitching toward the smaller body that had me pinned. But it was too much and I held back a whine as she jerked away from me like I had burned her. Little did she know that is was her magic that had scorched then froze my bones to the core. Her scent that clouded my mind to the point that I stumbled when she moved away. My spine thumped back against the brick wall again as I let my legs give out and slide down to the pavement. 

  
My eye lights followed her as she strode down the alley to the street, opalescent hair fluttering behind her like wings. I didn’t move until I heard the sound of a motor revving in the street. I slowly brought a bony hand up to my vertebrae, the tips of my phalanges feeling the small indentions left behind by sharp fangs. I pressed my phalanges into the indentions hard. Another shudder rolled through my frame as I felt a grin stretch across my teeth. 

She was right. I had been testing her. I had wanted to see how fun she would be to play with. Letting my ribcage expand, I inhaled deeply letting the lingering scent of peaches and roses fill my senses again as the temperature returned to normal. My soul fluttered happily, wanting to follow her down the street, and I shivered with pleasure. 

Luna is going to be a perfect playmate. I run an amber tongue across my fangs as I chuckle. I just needed to get her to relax enough to want to play. I hope she knew that I liked to play rough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >.>   
> <.<  
> I see you there...
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and have a great week! XD


	19. Royal Pains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it!
> 
> Btw my husband says to stop kink shaming his boy Mutt XD 
> 
> I ended up having to separate this chapter and the next and this one still ended up 10 pages long so buckle up and get ready for a long read this time around!
> 
> Here is the link to the tumblr for this story! http://isilmelinde.tumblr.com/

Crawling out of my nest of blankets the next morning was almost impossible. I had maybe gotten a couple hours of sleep before my alarm went off. My skin was itching as I turned on the shower and stepped in. This shower was more relaxed, less of a desperate attempt to pull myself back to reality. The warm water soothed my agitated skin, causing my magic to settle and stop crawling across it like a thousand ants. I couldn’t remember my dreams last night, but I had woken up completely tangled in a sheet that had decided to wrap itself around my body like a snake. My stomach throbbed in time with the headache that had taken hold of my skull. 

  
The water woke me up but so did the haggard expression that greeted me when I looked in the half-fogged mirror. I looked as tired as I felt, my birthmarks even looked a little dull. Reaching up I can my fingers down the dark markings and across my cheek. It felt a little more concave than it was before. I was a mess, that was all there was to it. But I had to be at the embassy in less than a half hour, so I had no choice but to pull myself together and get ready. 

  
Quickly I brushed my still sensitive teeth, and took the time to make sure my hair was completely dry before pulling it all into a tight professional bun at the back of my head. It was difficult and took a lot of pins but I made sure not even a strand was out of place. When I was finished, I strode to my room where my uniform awaited me. 

  
The royal purple ensemble stood out where it hung on the back of my closet door. Everything was pressed and crisply ironed. I put on a thin tank top before stepping over to start getting dressed. The pants were black and the legs were tapered to fit closely around the ankle. I pulled on the dark gold button up shirt and carefully tucked it into the pants before grabbing the small purple tie and sliding it around my neck, tucking it securely under collar. It was a little much and wouldn’t be seen under the high collared jacket, but this was official dress. 

  
The jacket came next, it was a little thick but made out of sturdy material. It was a deep royal purple with dark gold lining the seams. The buttons and thick belt were the same gold. Midway down my bicep was the same emblem that was tattooed between my shoulder blades. The Deltarune centered in a shield with four stars above it. My rank on clear display. I carefully adjusted the ribbons and metals over my left breast, making sure they were straight and secure. Over my right breast was a large gold Deltarune embroidered into the jacket. 

  
Once the belt was in place I went to my bed and sat down to pull on dress socks and shiny leather combat boots, freshly polished. I then pulled the top of the pants down and made sure they were still crisp and unwrinkled as they covered the tops of the boots. When that was finished, I made my way to my small desk and picked up the dark gold cotton gloves and pulled them on. A quick glance at my phone told me that I was a little ahead of schedule, so I grabbed my black leather satchel filled with paperwork and made my way to my small kitchen. 

  
I used what time I had left to heat up a bag of blood and pour it in a sturdy black thermos. Taking a sip, I cringed. It was getting old. I needed to go to the blood bank soon. But I will take what I can get for now. One last check told me that I had everything and nothing was out of place, I refrained from pulling my glamour forward. I was good to go.

  
After locking my door, I made my way down the stairwell to the first floor. But instead of making my way to the parking garage, I turned right and walked down the hall that led to the front of the building. Waiting for me, parked next to the sidewalk, was a sleek black SUV. As I slid into the car, I wished not for the first time that I could just wear my armor. It was much more comfortable than all this. 

  
The driver nodded at me before pulling away from the curb to head to the embassy. The sun was just now peaking over the horizon and the city was beginning to slowly wake up. There were a few other vehicles on the road, other people up early heading to stars knows where. I quietly drank from my thermos and watched the building pass by and reminisced on a time when I had lived in my armor. The driver easily maneuvered through the small amount of traffic and we were quickly pulling into the underground parking garage behind the embassy. 

  
With another nod, the driver bid me farewell next to the elevator before pulling away. I made sure that my bag was secure on my shoulder as I called the elevator down. We had arrived with enough time for me to stop by my office that they had insisted on me having despite the fact that I hardly spent any time in it. I could leave my bag and thermos there for the day and it would give me a chance to collect myself before the meetings began. 

  
The elevator ride up was silent and uneventful it was too early for many of the other embassy workers to be here. When it stopped on the correct floor, I took a deep breath, ignored the throb of pain in my stomach, and straightened my back. By the time the doors opened completely I had schooled my features into a blank slate and stepped out of the elevator like the General I was. I strode down the hallway with long, measured strides and kept my posture in the rigid form I had been taught to assume when on duty. 

  
My office in the embassy wasn’t small, but at my insistence it wasn’t as large as they had originally wanted to give me. It was a moderately sized room located at the very end of the hall, furthest from the elevator and stairwell. Today the hallways seemed to stretch on forever. Human and monster workers that had arrived early and were moving through hallway slid aside to let me pass. The humans waved good morning and the monsters nodded respectfully as I passed. I returned the greetings silently for a few a knew but kept moving toward my door. 

  
It was three fourths of the way to my office that I felt a twist in my gut and a violent itch in my throat. This made me double my already quick pace, trying to make it to the privacy of my office as quick as possible. The itch doubled in intensity and the twisting in my gut started to morph into nausea as I reached for my door handle. I quickly flung my door open and caught it before it could hit the wall, pulling it closed behind me. 

  
I nearly dropped my thermos as I lunged for the tissue box on the edge of the desk in the center of the room. A violent cough ripped its way out of my chest as I pressed a wad of tissues to my mouth. The coughs shook my frame as I doubled over, my hand and thermos resting on the edge of the desk. I stayed like that, doubled over, coughing, for a few moments before the fit finally calmed down. 

  
Air wheezed out of my abused lungs as I straightened up and moved the tissues away from my mouth. They were spattered with a shimmery red liquid and I could taste it in my mouth, causing the nausea to roll through my stomach again. I hated the taste of my own blood. Bringing the tissues back up to my mouth, I cough a few more times to clear my lungs. The sour acidic taste coupled with the taste of my blood told me it was coming from my stomach, so I wasn’t as concerned as I would be if it had been my lungs. When I deemed my airways clear enough, I carefully moved around my desk to throw the tissues away in the small waste basket hidden under the edge of my desk. 

  
I moved back across the room to grab a bottle of water from the mini fridge tucked away in the corner. I used the water to rinse out the taste left in my mouth. It was as I brought the bottle down that I saw the bright red speckling all over my glove. Shit. I hadn’t been fast enough with the tissues. Sighing I pulled both gloves off and moved shove them into my bag.

  
“Maybe I should take a few days off after this.” I dig through my bag trying to find the spare gloves I kept just in case. As I start to pull them out, a knock echoes through the quiet office making me jump slightly. 

  
With a quiet curse, I quickly pull the gloves on. When I walk around the desk, I notice a few speckles of blood on the corner and rush to wipe them away with another tissue and toss it in the trash. Another knock sounds and I jog over to the door. 

  
“Good morning General Silvius.” Queen Toriel stood regally in my doorway, a warm smile causing her red eyes to crinkle ever so slightly. I immediately fix my posture and bow with my fist over my soul.

  
“Good morning your Majesty. Please come in.” I step out of the way so she can move past me. Quietly shutting the door, I turn to face her rigidly, coming to a parade rest. “How may I help you this morning your Majesty?”

  
“Now, no need to be so formal when we are alone. I have told you before Toriel or Tori is just fine.” Toriel’s smile softens as she watches the tension bleed out of my body. “How are you this morning? Are you ready for the meetings?”

  
“I’m doing well, and am as ready as I can be.” I offer a small smile and move to go back to my desk. I still needed to find the documents that had been sent to me. I carefully move my thermos away from its precarious position on my desk’s edge and start to look through my bag.

  
“I assume Sans has informed you of the situation?” Toriel takes a seat in a chair that had been placed in front of the desk. 

  
“For the most part, as much as he could. Is there more that I should know that he doesn’t?” I find the documents and set them aside before moving my bag off the desk and under it. 

  
“Not that I know of as long as you read through the documents, we sent you earlier this week.” Toriel’s eyes follow my movements as I move about the room to make sure I have everything I need for the meetings to run smoothly. Six information packets, copies of current legislature, things of that nature. “You look pale.”

  
Toriel’s sudden statement makes me pause before I quickly throw a smile her way and continue what I was doing.

  
“I have never exactly been tan Tori.” I say jokingly as I turn away to kneel in front of a filing cabinet that has some documents I needed. 

  
“You know what I mean my child.” I wince both at the sudden shift to her mother voice and at the shooting pain in my abdomen from standing back up. Toriel was good at the mother voice, which was expected since she had her own children. I suspected she could make anyone answer her with that stern look that often accompanied it. 

  
“I’m just feeling a little under the weather is all. Tired more than anything. You know this is a busy time of year for me.” I pray silently to the stars above that she believes me as staple a few packets together, still not facing her.

  
The silence tells me she doesn’t, so does the worried and disapproving set of her brow when I turn to meet her eyes. With a sigh, I let my shoulders drop in defeat, the jig was up. Her eyes immediately go to my abdomen.

  
“Is it bothering you again?” I nod and move to put the papers on the desk. She watches me move, seeming to take in everything. “May I take a look? Don’t worry, we have time.”

  
I knew she wasn’t really asking, she was more or less saying that she was going to check it out regardless before either of us left this office. I quickly checked to make sure that the curtains were completely closed before removing my belt and jacket. They were both set on my desk as Toriel stood up and moved to stand in front of me. If she hadn’t seen it before, I probably would have been more nervous about this. But Toriel had checked before when she noticed me in pain at the office before. 

  
After untucking the dress shirt and tank top, I unbutton the dress shirt but leave it on and lift my tank top to completely reveal my abdomen. The bright, angry red of the jagged scar that stretched from my right hip to the bottom of the left side of my ribs never failed to make me wince. 

  
I keep myself still as soft, fur covered hands encased in green glowing magic reach for my stomach. Toriel begins to press against the scar gently but firmly, checking it over from corner to corner. Her magic feels like a warm blanket fresh from the dryer and I could smell her warm apple pie smell as she leaned closer to inspect the scar. I watch as she begins to press against the scar in different spots, firmly pushing the pads of her fingers against the center most part of the scar. 

  
A hiss of pain escapes my lips when she reaches one of the many tender spots. The wash of healing magic soothes the shooting pain the pressure had caused. When she pressed on a particular spot I almost see stars and can taste my blood on the back of my tongue. Toriel quickly replaces her finger tips with the palm of her hand as she used the other to steady me as I swayed on my feet. 

  
“I have never seen a wound that refused to heal like this. There is so much scar tissue even though you were injured so many years ago. I simply don’t understand, its like it agitates and reopens itself from the inside.” Toriel frowns down at the scar under her glowing hand. I lean against her support, letting her magic do its work. “No matter how many times I have healed it, when you get like this, it’s like I never touched it.”   
When she finally takes her hand away, I move to sit down in my chair. All the energy I had left seemed to seep out of me with the last remaining effects of her healing magic. The pain had eased considerably and I no longer tasted blood, which was a huge improvement. I start to tuck my tank top back in and button my shirt. Luckily nothing was wrinkled in the process. Toriel stares at me was I finish redressing, a frown creasing her brow and her eyes worried. 

  
“You’ve lost weight as well.” I look back up from buttoning my jacket to see that her worried gaze had shifted to hold the heat of anger. “If those boys aren’t taking care of you-“

  
“No! It’s not their fault, I swear!” I wave my hands, interrupting her before she could jump to too many conclusions. “They have no idea about this. Well…that’s not exactly true. They know about my old injury…just…not this… And I didn’t think I had lost that much weight…”

  
I look down at my torso. She was right, I was getting a little thin.

  
“Have you not been able to eat my child?” The anger quickly faded from her features as she returns to her seat. The worry has returned in full force. 

  
“I have…just haven’t been able to handle anything solid for a week. Not that it does much more than give me a little bit of energy and feel kind of full.” I slide my belt back on and make sure my uniform is crisp and straight again. “But I have been able to keep blood down consistently.”

  
Toriel watches me for a minute more before sighing softly.

  
“The bagged blood isn’t giving you what you need. The longer it is out of the body, the less life magic it holds. Correct?” Toriel eyes my thermos sitting on my desk. I nod and pick up the now lukewarm drink. My stock had already reached it’s limits and had almost reached the point of being as useless as water but I couldn’t get my next set of rations for another week. I would have to make do with what Grillby had at his bar and with what I had left. 

  
I picked up some of the documents, glancing over it to refresh what needed to be addressed and explained at the meeting. 

  
“A lot of vampires have been struggling with this issue recently. With the human’s insistence in antifeeding laws we have been pushed into a rationing system that just isn’t sustainable for us.” I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. “And if a human comes up bitten it’ll set us back years’ worth of progress. So, our hands are kind of tied until the new legislation is ironed out. But that had been put on hold until the situations with the new clans have been settled.” 

  
Toriel nods sagely, she knew which legislation I was speaking of. It was two years in the making. It would hopefully allow vampires to feed off of willing donors without having to go through blood banks and rationing sheets. That way they could get the sustenance they needed and didn’t have to worry about theirs and their children’s malnutrition. The extra nutrients in the mixes the humans developed weren’t near enough to compensate for the gradual decay of the life magic needed to sustain a vampire. It was ridiculous to think that the whole subspecies could survive off of bagged blood and vitamins when that wasn’t what sustained them in the first place. The blood was just the vector that carried the life magic. 

  
“Don’t most vampires feed exclusively from their mates once the bonds have settled?” Toriel’s soft voice breaks me out of my thoughts. I stare at her, blinking for a few moments before what she was implying registered in my tired brain. I look away from her knowing gaze and start to chew on my bottom lip.

  
“I couldn’t do that to them. I’m way too high leveled.” I grimace as I stare down at my gloved hands. Blood and dust stains covered them and I clenched my fist, knowing it wasn’t really there despite it looking so real. “I would never be able to forgive myself if I accidently hurt them.”

  
“I don’t think you could.” I look up at the warm tone of Toriel’s voice. “Hurt them that is. They are a lot sturdier than you think and your lvl has nothing to do with this.” 

  
We sit silently for a few moments, Toriel smiling and her eyes filled with understanding. 

  
“Give it some thought. Your body is starving itself trying to constantly maintain everything, and that wound is just sapping more and more from you. It won’t be able to keep up forever.” Toriel stands up and straitens out her royal attire. “There is friend of mine I am going to get into contact with. She may have some answers as to why you wound refuses to heal. We may be able to figure out a treatment for it. Until then, you need to do what you can to take care of yourself. And if you don’t. I’m going to call Sans and Papyrus myself.” 

  
The playful glint of her eyes takes the edge off the serious tone of her voice. I stand and straighten out my jacket before gathering my needed paperwork. 

  
“Yes ma’am.” I bow my head to her as she turns to move to the door. She motions for me to follow her. Despite everything that just happened, we still had a meeting to attend. One that would most likely last a majority of the day with many more to follow. It was time to begin.

~~~

It was unnerving to see four sets of royalty sitting around the oblong table of the main conference room. It was a room used exclusively for important occasions just like this. The table was large and allowed all occupants plenty of room to sit where they pleased. This set up allowed for anyone who knew where to look to see who allied with who. Only two of the four sets of royalty sat next to each other as they settled around the table. The other two split themselves to sit across from one another, hardened eyes refusing to look at each other. 

  
They were introduced to me as I settled into a comfortable parade rest next to the white board. Queen Toriel took the packets from me and gave me their names as she passed them to their respective recipients. Sitting together in their white and gold royal robes was Queen Celestine and King Edmund, the royal pair from the swap universe. Next to King Edmund sat the black and white haired King Rafael. Across from him, glaring with red and yellow eyes was Queen Vivienne. Both from the fell universe, both dressed in black, red and gold robes. Beside her was King Ronan who stared off into space, only nodding our way when he was handed his packet. The Queen Annabella was in the seat in front of him, back straight and dark gray royal robes crisp and pristine. They both came from the swapfell universe. It took me a moment to wrap my head around the fact that in their respective universes, they were all King Asgore and Queen Toriel. They had adopted their new names to prevent confusion and to keep up with the common story of the new ‘clans’ surfacing. 

  
Once all the needed paperwork and documents were handed out, Queen Toriel settled into her seat next to King Asgore at the head of the table. I remained next to the white board where everyone could see me but my back wasn’t to any of them. 

  
“Joining us this morning is General Silvius. She is here not only to help with the integration process but to debrief everyone of the current stand of monsters in this universe as well as possible divergences in history in our universes as to compared to yours. General Silvius will hopefully be able to help us all come up with a process to smoothly integrate the new monster clans and help them gain citizenship and navigate the surface world peacefully.” King Asgore gestured to me as he spoke and I stepped forward to an empty space at the table and set down my own paper work that I had brought with me so I could keep track of everything. Eight sets of eyes fixated on me as I stood up straight, ready to begin when they were. Six of those eight eyes looked at me with a mixture of surprise and suspicion. One pair, King Ronan, looked at me curiously, like he was trying to remember something

  
“The General Silvius? As in General of the Royal Army?” King Rafael’s deep gravelly voice interrupted before King Asgore could give me the go ahead to speak. “Your world must be very different from ours. First of all, our General was a man. Second, she looks too young to have fought before the barrier rose.”

  
I looked the dark-haired King in his red and yellow eyes, shoulders back and chin set confidently. In the corner of my eye, I could see a small nod from Queen Toriel, permission to speak.

  
“My name is General Luna Silvius. I am a third generation officer of the Silvius family name. You are correct in thinking that I am too young to have fought in the war before the barrier was put in place. I fought after.” Surprise flashed across the King’s face as well as the others present, his eyebrows rose high as I continued. “Correct me if I am wrong but I believe you are referring to General Elias Silvius.”

  
“Those marks.” Everyone turns a looks as King Ronan finally spoke up. His voice is a soft and rumbling and he was staring at me intensely. “You are a vampire, are you not? You may look young but you are, for a boss monster that is. I haven’t seen any vampires since the war. They all died out I believe.”

  
“Yes, I am. Both of my parents and grandparents were vampires as well. Vampires as well as many other monster subspecies that were previously thought to have died out are actually thriving right now.” I nodded and took a deep breath, preparing myself for what will probably be hours of talking. My voice shifted, taking on a more assertive version of what my mates jokingly referred to as my teacher’s voice. I had everyone’s attention and I could see interest and confusion on their faces, so I might as well start now. “To explain that better let me explain the two current classifications for monsters in the eyes of the government. There are UGMs and AGMs. UGM stands for underground monsters, any monster that came from under the mountain when the barrier broke falls under this classification. All monsters from your respective clans will also be classified as UGMs since you technically came from mountain and it fits with the cover story that has been put in place. The other classification is the AGMs. AGM stands from aboveground monsters. The monsters that didn’t come from under the mountain are grouped together in this category.”

  
I paused for a moment to let everyone absorb the information.

  
“How are there monsters that didn’t come from under the mountain?” Queen Annabella looked like she couldn’t believe what she had hear, her red and black eyes narrowed suspiciously. 

  
“To answer that, I need to explain what happened during the war where most of the consistencies with the different universes lie. Aside from the obvious differences in appearances and conditions of the actual undergrounds.” I shuffle my papers around to make sure I had the appropriate thing in front of me when I needed it. “The war was beginning to really take its toll on monsters the year of 1XXX. It was decided that the pressure from the human forces was getting to great and something needed to be done. The ultimate decision was to evacuate the elderly, young ones, and those who were not included in the fighting into the mountain. The mountain was our strongest line of defense at the time. Its defensibility coupled with the wealth of magic within the mountain itself made it ideal at the time. After the evacuation started the tides shifted and the human forces really began to put pressure on our forces on all sides. King Asgore decided that it would be best to shift the evacuation to include our forces as well in an attempt to conserve our numbers as much as possible. The hope was that the magic within the mountain would help boost the magic of our soldiers. 

  
“It became clear half way through the evacuation that our advantage was quickly fading. General Elias Silvius divided his forces and moved the knights and royal guard to assist with speeding up the evacuation while the main forces of the army remained outside the mountain to buy as much time as possible to get monsters to safety. As well as allowing the royal family time to be included in the evacuation.” I take a deep breath before continuing. “It was after this point that the mages created the barrier, effectively cutting off all the monsters that had made it underground. Thus the division of AGMs and UGMs, though we didn’t call it that at the time. Humans feel the need to put labels on everything. Any questions so far?”

“What happened to General Elias? In our universe he perished when the barrier was erected. How did you come to be in the position of General of the Royal Army?” Queen Celestine tilts her head slightly, watching curiously. The others nod as if to say they wanted to know as well, there were soft murmurs of agreement. “What was your relation to the General?”

  
I take a moment to gather my thoughts as my soul pinches at the memory of my father. It was one thing to talk about him in a historical sense, more analytically rather than personally. I knew that I would have to talk about it eventually, that they would want to know. It didn’t lessen the pain I felt when I thought about him and mom though. But I was a full grown monster who had stared death in the face on numerous occasions. I would suck it up and tell them anyway. Once I am ready, I begin to speak once more.

  
“I am the daughter of General Elias Silvius and Major Amora Silvius Healer First Class. I was born after the barrier was created during a year when their was a brief lull in the fighting. The war with the humans continued 100 years after the barrier went up.” I pause for a moment and take a deep breath. “General Elias and Major Amora both perished the summer of 1XXX during an attack on a refugee camp on the south side of Mount Ebott. My grandfather, retired Colonel Alistair Silvius, stepped in to lead briefly until the winter of 1XXX, 50 years after the barrier. He met his end defending against an attack that intended try to not only divide our forces but to make an attempt to collapse the caverns inside the mountain. It was at this point that I took up the mantle of General. The war lasted 50 more years before I called a ceasefire. After that my officers and I focused our efforts on making the monsters and families left on the surface disappear from human memory.”

  
“How did you manage that? We were informed that humans had no memories of monsters when they surfaced but the war was so terrible. It is hard to believe that it was possible to erase such a major event from history.” Queen Vivienne leans forward to rest her chin on her folded hands. Her voice was filled with disbelief and I didn’t blame her. It was no easy task and had taken many years to truly accomplish our goals. 

  
“Monsters that could produce a glamour or already looked humanoid were encouraged to blend into the human population to the best of their abilities. Those who couldn’t produce glamour or didn’t look human enough to hide were hidden away from human society in small communities off the grid. If a problem arose, the monster or monsters were relocated.” I shuffle through my paperwork, needing to move some how from my rigid stance. “As for making humans forget monsters existed? Small teams were used to methodically go through and destroy all evidence of monsters and spread rumors of them being simply myths. Tablets, books, drawings, anything that could suggest that monsters could be real, were destroyed or hidden away. The war just so happen to be the first thing that was addressed so it had plenty of time to fade from memory. We even remained hidden for the majority of the first year after monsters surfaced from the mountain. Many of us were ready to be called to arms, unsure if another war would break out like the first one. Once we were sure that humans were reacting peacefully for the most part, we stepped forward to rejoin our brethren. When the barrier was created, numerous families, friends and mates were separated. Many were overjoyed to be able to reconnect with ose they thought they had lost.”

  
It was a beautiful day to see so many monsters reunited with each other. Some had been worried that those left aboveground would be met with hatred and animosity. Those worries were thankfully unfounded. There were a lot of happy tears that day. 

  
“So I am assuming that the plan is to follow a combination of the processes used to integrate this world’s UGMs and AGMs?” King Edmond looks down at the packets he was given, flipping through the many pages of information.

  
“That is the game plan. I gave you copies of the legislations for the integration of both UGMs and AGMs. The hope is that you will be able to look over those and come to a decision that will benefit your people and we will address them tomorrow once you all have come to a concise conclusion.” I offer a polite smile to the royalty sitting in front of me. It was definitely going to be a long process to get all eight of them to agree on the same terms. The pairs that were split up in seating looked disgusted at the thought of working with each other. 

  
“If you will please look at the packets in front of you we can begin with what needs your people must have met before they can function appropriately in society.” Queen Toriel sits up straighter, and begins to pull the papers closer to her person. “You may be seated General Silvius. Your input will be greatly appreciated.”

  
I take a seat where I can sit and face all the royalty before me, making sure to settle in for the long haul. It was going to be a long day.

~~~

It is late evening by the time we adjourn. Thankfully, they were all able to come to a conclusion for all three of the new clans. It would be the same process across the board and I had a full right up of everything agreed so I could give the clans all the information they would need. Each clan would be addressed separately tomorrow. I could only hope that they accepted what was chosen peacefully. 

  
We were currently leaving the conference room to head to dinner when Queen Toriel stops me just inside the doorway. When the others are far enough down the hallway she finally speaks.

  
“You should go home early. We don’t need you at the dinner, no more will be discussed today.” Toriel places a gentle hand on my shoulder and smiles kindly. I return the smile with one of my own, feeling the exhaustion start creeping in. The pain in my stomach had started to slowly build back up after the small break for lunch. I was more than ready to go home.

  
“Thanks Tori. I will see you in the morning.” I make sure all my papers are gathered and turn to head down the hall to the elevator. I start to relax the closer I get to my office. 

  
I pause a little ways down the hall from my office door. There, leaning against the doorframe, is Sans. He looks half asleep, his hood drawn up over his skull. 

  
“hey sugar plum.” He lifts his head tiredly and grins at me as I approach. “you finally free? Tori said that you were getting out earlier than expected. thought i’d give you a lift.”

  
“Yeah, she let me sneak out at the end.” I smile at my mate as I move past him to open my office. “Let me grab my bag and we can go.”

  
Sans is oddly silent as he follows me into my office. I quickly file away the papers I don’t need and putting the rest into my satchel. When I turn around Sans is staring at me, which makes me pause with my bag halfway to my shoulder. After a few moments he speaks, stepping close to me.

  
“tori was right, you are looking a little pale.” He reaches out and cups my cheek gently. I can’t help but to lean into the warm bones, feeling the magic humming just beneath the surface. There is a calculating gleam in his eye lights as he looks me over. He seems to come to a decision as he drops his hand to take my gloved one. “yeah. your coming back to the house with me tonight.”

  
I almost want to cry, I’m so tired and just finished with the day. Going home and being able to spend time with my mates sounded heavenly. With a crackle of magic, the office disappears around us and Papyrus’ room comes into existence. 

  
Before I can say anything, the satchel is taken out of my hands and tossed into a chair. 

  
“get comfy sugar plum, i’m gonna tell pap that we are home. we’ll be back in a bit.” Sans nuzzles my temple before popping out of the room. I immediately take off the gloves and toss them onto the bedside table. Once my hands are free, I start to work at the many buttons on my uniform. 

  
I’m so exhausted that I find myself struggling with the same buttons for a few minutes until a pair of skeletal hands gently move mine away before making quick work of them. I didn’t even hear Papyrus enter the room, I had been so concentrated. 

  
Rustling of blankets behind me tells me that Sans had returned as well. 

  
“There we are.” My jacket is slid from my shoulders before he moves onto my dress shirt. I blink and I am standing there in a huge t-shirt that strongly smells like wintergreen and cedar. Papyrus is speaking again as he gently nudges me toward the bed. “Come now Firefly, lets get some rest.”

  
A pair of bony arms wrap around my waist and tug me down onto the bed as soon as I am within reach. Sans wraps around me like a koala and Papyrus settles on the other side of me as soon as he shuts off the light, also wrapping his tall frame around my smaller one. Sandalwood and citrus joins and blends perfectly with the wintergreen and cedar. 

  
I feel my eyes start to grow heavy as the scents envelop me. Its warm and I feel safe.

“get some sleep sugar plum, we’ll wake you up in time.” Sans rumbles softly into my hair and I feel Papyrus softly run his fingers up and down my arm soothingly. 

  
I don’t even remember closing my eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost had this chapter out yesterday but my husband wanted to marathon Bones with me and I just couldn't say no.   
> I'm sorry I am weak XD
> 
> I hope you all have a great week!


	20. Tough Pill To Swallow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who posted on her actually upload day? This girl! Bwahahaha! XD
> 
> Sorry it took a little bit, I got stuck a few times writing this chapter and had to step away for a few days. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it! 
> 
> The tumblr for this story is https://www.tumblr.com/blog/isilmelinde

I stood quietly outside one of the doors to the grand hall of the embassy, listening to the din of hundreds of monsters waiting in seats that had been set up early this morning. Undyne stood next to me in her armor, her helmet nowhere to be seen as she also waited to enter the hall. The swapfell clan was first on the block. After them would be the swap and then finally the fell clan. I double checked that I had all the paperwork I needed and that my uniform was crisp and neat. Undyne shifted from foot to foot beside me, clearly wanting to get started and becoming bored quickly. We still had to wait a little bit longer to make sure the whole clan was there and settled, I needed to distract her so she wouldn’t get agitated.

  
“How is Alphys and the little guppy?” Her favorite person in the world should be enough to distract her. I smiled, trying not to chuckle as her face lights up and she turns to me, almost vibrating with energy. 

  
“They’re perfect as always! Alph is no longer getting as sick as she was and since those new nerds showed up, I have been able to convince her to stay home more and rest.” Undyne grins at me, clearly excited. “She says that she thinks the little soul has finally settled in for the long haul! I’m so excited! Alph is super smart so she is probably right! She says soon I will even be able to feel the little punk too!”

  
I chuckle softly, Undyne was truly happy and excited. She looked as exhilarated as she had on her wedding day. Someone walked by the small hallway we were waiting in and she quickly stood back at attention, schooling her face to be blank and professional. I let my smile shrink into a small smirk and straightened my posture. When their footsteps faded, Undyne turned to face me once more, this time a little more hesitant. It wasn’t a look I was used to seeing on the brash captain’s face.

  
“Hey…. I wanted to ask…you know about healing and stuff, right? I have seen those marks on your hands…. read about them in a book the old man gave me. With those you should know a lot, right?” Undyne didn’t quite meet my gaze, fidgeting slightly and gesturing to my gloved hands. 

  
“A decent amount, why do you ask?” I tilt my head curiously but keep my voice soft so she knows that I am not bothered by the inquiry. 

  
“More than a decent amount if what I read is true. But that’s not the point. I wanted to ask…” Undyne shifts from one foot to another again, reaching behind her head to fidget with her ponytail. “Well both me and Alph wanted to know if you’d do a checkup. Check in on the little guy, make sure all is going good and all that stuff.” 

  
I pause for a moment, taking in what she had just said. When it finally processed, I felt beyond honored. 

  
“Of course, I can Undyne. It wouldn’t be any trouble at all to check on them. Are you sure you want me to do it? You could ask Toriel, she would be able to tell you the same things I would.” It was a huge sign of trust to allow someone to check on something so important. This was her mate and her unborn child. I would have to look at Alphys’ soul and I wanted her to be absolutely sure that she wanted me to do that.

  
Undyne once more grins at me, reaching out to clap me on the back.

  
“Of course! Alph loves you, she is the one that suggested it in the first place! Besides! I trust you with my life, of course I’d trust you with theirs.” Undyne laughs boisterously as she claps my back again, I stay steady despite the force behind it. “I was just worried you’d say no! Man, this is awesome! Now we will know for sure and not have to keep guessing all the time! You’re awesome Luna!”

  
I snicker at her enthusiasm, hip checking her. She stumbles slightly before straightening back up. Her smile remains but she grows a little more sincere.

  
“But seriously, thanks.” Her single yellow eye stares into both of mine and I smile at her.

  
“It’s no problem, we’ll just have to figure out a day when I can come and to a full checkup.” She nods, a thankful smile stretching across her lips. Before either of us can say anything else, the door to the grand hall opens and a whimsun peeks through to signal that it was time to start. 

  
Tucking my paperwork under my arm, I stand at attention, seeing Undyne do the same out of the corner of my eye. I nod and the whimsun flits back through the door, leaving it open for us to enter behind them. Stepping forward with measured strides, I make my way into the grand hall and toward a platform set up against the wall that held the door, set in the middle where everyone in the room can see it. In the middle of the platform is a podium. I can hear Undyne following behind me at a decent distance, stopping at the edge of the platform while I stepped up and made my way to the podium. 

  
The din of the room begins to slowly quiet down as I set my papers onto the podium, keeping a straight militaristic posture as I move. Once the papers are arranged properly, I look up at the now silent room where the swapfell monsters waited for me to begin speaking. I was an interesting sight to say the least to see so many monsters I had come to know throughout the years looking like this. Many were scarred, almost as war torn as the soldiers I had once commanded. I could see the clear role reversal in some of the monsters. The bunny family wore royal guard attire, the dogs looked roughly domestic, and toward the middle of the room was a floating robot that clearly wasn’t Mettaton but his place holder for this universe. I could tell that they were all trying to look intimidating and rough, their attire reflecting that. 

  
I feel a familiar magic signature and glance around to see Black and Mutt sitting in the front row. Black’s expression is unreadable and Mutt’s is deceptively blank, except his eye light which are slightly wider than usual and fixated on my person intently staring. 

  
With a steady breath, I look out over the gathered monsters and begin. 

  
“Thank you all for gathering this morning on such short notice. I am General Silvius and I will be going over the process of integration as decided by the Royal Council.” I meet the unwavering gaze of multiple monsters, many of them look curious but most are expressionless. “To begin, you will be registered and receive an ID as well as a temporary work pass. The ID and work pass will allow you to enter the workforce should you wish to. There will be a six-to-twelve-month adaptation period in which you will be assigned a psychologist to help you adapt to life here on the surface. You can schedule your appointments weekly, bimonthly, or another time of your choosing. There are no set number of hours that you must attend as far as your appointments are concerned but at the end of the six-month period, your psychologist will submit a report on your adaptation into society. If you or the psychologist feel like you need more time, the six-month period will be extended to a twelve-month period. They are there to help you, not anyone else.”

  
I pause to shift my paperwork around; I can see many are still processing the new information while some are already starting to look upset.

  
“Should you wish to open a business, you must complete this process to receive your permanent work pass as well as apply for your entrepreneurial license. Until then you are encouraged to work or shadow in a business in the same field as the one you wish to open. There will be information packets as well as embassy representatives to help you every step of the way.” I could feel agitated magic crackle threateningly though the room. They clearly were not happy with this decision. Internally I sigh, if they were upset about this then the next thing I had to say would really piss them off. “Now, addressing the status of the royal guard as of today. All royal guard members, regardless of rank and time of service will be put into standby until the time of which they have completed their integration process and have been approved to return to duty. The-“

  
I’m cut off by a an angry shout as a member of the guard shoots up from their seat.

  
“That’s bullshit!” A bunny in guard uniform bares his teeth at me, magic crackling through the air. Many others look like they are ready to jump up as well. This world’s Alphys is standing, Briar is her name I think, to stop her guardsman or to encourage him, I’m not sure. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Undyne standing at the ready, a spear summoned in her hands.

  
“It will be best if you stand down.” I level my stare on the guardsman, keeping my voice even but ready to move if I need to. The guardsman clenches his fist and steps forward.

  
“NO! This is complete bullshit! Do you know how hard I worked to get this position?! There is no way I am just going to roll over and let you guy fuck me over!” He is almost screaming now, rage burning in his brown eyes. The angry magic in the air is almost suffocating. I can see Briar taking a step toward him. The room is close to erupting in chaos. 

  
“I SAID STAND DOWN SOLDIER.” I push a healthy dose of magic into my voice, baring my fangs and allowing my eyes to blaze to life. Loosening the tight hold on my control, I let my magic flare out and crackle through the air, dropping the temperature in the room considerably. 

  
It had the effect I had hoped for. The room goes dead silent, everyone freezing in place, all eyes watching me carefully. The guardsman’s eyes widen almost comically as he freezes like his animal counterpart caught in a predator’s gaze. 

  
“The royal guard has officially been put into standby as ordered by the royal council and approved by Queen Annabella and King Ronan. Any opposition to these orders will be considered treason and you will be trialed accordingly.” I keep the magic in my voice, projecting it across the large room, slowly looking around and making eye contact will all visible members of the royal guard, ending with Briar. She nods, a small subtle jerk of her chin as she remains standing. I now know that she is ready to intervene if needed, much like Undyne who remained at the ready beside the platform. You could hear a pin drop on the far side of the room, it is so quiet. “Your position in the guard will remain open until you finish the integration process and complete what ever requirements your King and Queen have put in place to regain your rank. You’ll also be given the option to leave the guard if you wish, your positions will be held until you state otherwise. Should positions be declined, they will be open for other guard members to either move up in rank or new members to be inducted to take their place. During the time that of which the royal guard is in standby, the Tale Clan’s royal guard as well as the royal reserves will be stepping in to fill the void left by your absence. Your King and Queen will be in good hands.”

  
The room is still tense but the magic has thinned in the air. I ease up the pressure of my own magic, allowing the room to return to its original temperature. Shuffling my papers back into place, I relax the set of my shoulders some. 

  
“We have set up booths and representative to walk you through the registration process as well as provide you with any information you need. You can set up your appointments today or you can wait. You must sign up for your first appointment before the end of this week. There will also be classes to catch everyone up on the history of this world. These are entirely optional but I do suggest them. There are many differences from this world and yours such as the monster classifications of UGMs and AGMs. Classifications that you need to be familiar with in order to avoid causing conflict with the other monsters of this world.” I scoop up my paperwork, preparing to end the meeting. “Should you have any questions, the representatives outside will be ready to answer them and if they can’t, point you to who can. We wish for this to be as smooth as a process as possible. Everyone deserves the chance to live the life they wish to, I hope that you are able to settle into life here on the surface without much difficulty. You are dismissed to go start your registration process in the main hall of the embassy.”

  
I sharply turn to the side of the platform where Undyne waits, watching the monsters that still sat in their seats. Out of the corner of my eye I see some movement. Black is now standing, watching me with electric blue eye lights that have shrunk to small pin pricks. His posture is straight and rigid as Mutt stands up next to him, keeping his frame slumped over as to not dwarf his brother too much. 

  
Black gives me a decisive nod as I walk off the platform toward the door I had entered through, before turning himself to the isle the seats had created and striding to the exit with his head held high. Mutt follows a few steps after him, peaking over his shoulder back at me occasionally, eye lights still wider than normal. My soul tugs toward them briefly before I turn away.

  
I slip through the door with Undyne following close behind before the pair makes it to the exit on the other side of the room. Once the door shuts behind the royal guard captain, I sigh and hold back the urge to run my hand through my hair. It would pull it out of the tight bun I had forced it into early this morning. 

  
“Well that could have gone better.” Undyne says what I was thinking. “It didn’t go horribly but it could have gone way better than that. I thought that guy was about to throw down.”

  
I chuckle tiredly and shake my head. Yeah it definitely could have gone better. I could taste blood on the back of my tongue and my stomach throbbed from clenching my muscles so hard. This was going to be a long, long, Long day. I lean against the wall with a tired sigh and Undyne nods in understanding, glancing wearily at the door as the sounds of the monsters talking on the other side bleeds through.

~~~

It’s Papyrus who is waiting outside my office this time as I make my way down the hall, exhausted. Multiple fights had broken out throughout the day, each meeting taking longer than the last. I was thoroughly done with the day, having to step into the bathroom a few times to wash my mouth out. I didn’t have a fit like I had had yesterday but my stomach was still throbbing painfully from the stress. 

  
Papyrus is leaning casually against my doorframe, having changed out of his work clothes, wearing a pair of jeans and a white sleeveless shirt. His old red scarf had made its appearance and was wrapped loosely around his neck. He had a single red sneaker propped up against the frame, the other resting on the floor. He was doing his cool dude pose and it made me smile softly as I made my way to my office door. 

  
A wide grin stretches across his teeth when he sees me approaching. Unlike Sans, he pushes off the doorframe and meets me halfway.

  
“Good evening General.” Papyrus winks at me as he falls into stride next to me, following me to the door. “I will be your escort home today. I figured you’d like to travel in style since my lazy brother dropped you off this morning without a means to get home.” 

  
A few workers smile and wave at Papyrus as we pass by, he grins and returns the waves enthusiastically. 

  
“That would be appreciated, thank you.” I keep my face pleasant but mostly blank, trying not to chuckle at how formal we sound. I knew Papyrus was just playing the part while I was still in uniform, but he was a little theatrical about it. I move my paperwork to my other hand and reach for my door handle, pulling it open. 

  
Papyrus follows behind me after I step in, closing the door quietly behind himself. I put my paperwork away in the filing cabinet and move to gather up my satchel and other things I would need to bring home with me. 

  
“I parked the car down in the parking deck so it shouldn’t take long to get there.” Papyrus tugs my satchel out of my hands, pulling it easily onto his shoulder. He glances around the office before turning to face me with a grin. “We could start our weekend early and you can stay with us tonight. I have rented some movies and my brother is in charge of procuring dinner (I’m hoping I do not regret with entrusting him with this task). That is if you do not mind, it’ll be your home as well soon. And you’ll be coming over tomorrow regardless. It’ll save you the trip and give you more time to rest, I know that this has been a trying day for you. And-“

  
I laugh softly and put a hand on Papyrus’ arm, making him close his mouth with an audible click. 

  
“I’d love to come over tonight. You’re right, it has been a long day and movies with my two favorite guys sounds like just what I need.” I smile warmly up at my mate. 

  
“Nyeh heh heh. Of course.” A tangerine blush spreads across his cheekbones as his grin gets impossibly wider. He offers the crook of his arm to me. “Shall we, Firefly?” 

  
“We shall.” I giggle as I hook my hand onto his elbow and let him lead me to the parking deck. I notice him texting someone briefly as I get settled into the passenger seat. He puts his phone away in his pocket before sliding into the driver’s seat of his bright red convertible. The top is down and he hands me a pair of extra sunglasses before starting the car and pulling out of the space. I don’t even bother with pulling my glamour back into place, I’m too exhausted.

  
The drive home is peaceful and quiet, the roar of the wind around us too loud to really hold any conversation. I breathe the fresh air deeply and watch the sun setting being the skyline, trying to force my body to start relaxing from the stressful day I had had. I could feel Papyrus watching me from the corner of his sockets as he drives carefully through the evening traffic. I fidget with my gloves some, ready to get them off as soon as I can. My whole uniform feels suffocating at this point and I am ready to get changed. 

  
We pull into the garage and both quietly get out, Papyrus grabbing my satchel after shutting the door. We both go into the door to the mudroom stopping for a moment to the garage door shut before continuing into the main hallway of the house. I can hear the murmur of voices coming from the kitchen and follow with Papyrus quietly trailing behind me. 

  
I step through the door way to find 7 skeletons gathered in the kitchen. Sans is leaned up against the stove on his phone with Blue hovering over his shoulder, trying to see the screen clearly. Red, Mutt, and Stretch are all sitting at the island like the first day I met them. Black is stationed in the far corner of the room, leaning against a counter where he can see the whole room. His face is blank, but eye lights scan the room regularly. Edge is pacing behind the trio at the island, agitated energy rolling off him in waves. 

  
Sans look sup and smiles when he sees me. He opens his mouth to say something but is interrupted before he can speak.

  
“YOU’RE LATE.” I almost flinch at the volume of Edge’s voice. It is as loud as it normally is but there seems to be a restrained agitation to it. Red sits up straight from his slouched position and watches his brother wearily. Everyone else looks to me to see my reply.

  
“There were a lot of disgruntled monsters that needed help, it took some time. You all could have started dinner without me.” I hear Papyrus step behind me, moving more into the room and past me where I stood just inside the doorframe. Edge quickly rounds on me, stopping a few strides away.

  
“YES, I’M SURE IT DID. I’M ALSO SURE THAT IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN MUCH LESS TIME HAD YOU HAD THE ROYAL GUARD’S HELP. OH WAIT! YOU FIRED ALL OF THEM.” Edge sneers at me, baring his sharp fangs in suppressed anger. He crosses his arms and cocks out his hip, glaring down at me. If he had a nose, it would probably be scrunched up in disgust as he looked down it at me. “YOU HAVE THE GALL TO HIDE WHAT YOU ARE AND THEN WALTZ IN AND SWEEP UP EVERYONE'S LIVELIHOOD LIKE THEY WERE DUST BENEATH YOUR BOOT. ARE YOU TOO ASHAMED OF WHAT YOU ARE THAT YOU FEEL THE NEED TO HIDE IT FROM EVERYONE OR ARE YOU JUST SO ASHAMED OF THE ATROCIOUS THINGS YOU HAVE DONE THAT YOU CAN'T BEAR TO SHOW YOUR FACE UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO? OR ARE YOU AFRAID THAT YOUR SOLDIERS WILL GET A GLIMPSE OF HOW MUCH OF A 'MONSTER' YOU REALLY ARE? IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO KILL HUNDREDS OF YOUR OWN, BUT NOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE EVERYTHING AWAY FROM US AS WELL?"

  
Edge steps closer and closer as he speaks, his voice raising to the point he is almost screaming. His scarlet eye lights filled with rage. There is a crackle of magic in the air and the thick smell of a campfire and toasted marshmallows floods the air in front of me as Red appears, blocking Edge’s war path.

  
“enough papyrus!” Red snarls, fists clenched at his sides, sharp teeth bared angrily up at his brother. Edge stairs down, flabbergasted, at his brother. His eye lights shrink down to pinpricks. He opens his mouth to speak but Red cuts him off once more with a rumbling growl. “i said that is enough. back off before i make you.” 

  
The pure fury burning in his eye lights made his previous rage seem mild in comparison. Edge clicks his jaw shut, giving me one last look that says this wasn’t over yet, before whirling around and striding out of the kitchen. 

  
The room is silent as we listen to his boots stomping up the stairs and a door slamming hard enough to echo throughout the house. After a few moments I sigh and rub a hand across my tired eyes, wincing at the feel of my glove scraping over my skin. A few of the other skeletons shift uncomfortably around the room as Red remains stock still, staring at the doorway with his chest heaving. 

  
“That could have gone better.” My voice seems to startle Red out of whatever headspace we had been in and he hunches his shoulders before quickly popping back into his seat at the island. He doesn’t make eye contact with anyone, just stared down at the countertop, red translucent sweat prickling across his skull. I step further into the kitchen and begin to tug my gloves off. 

  
Blue bounds over from where he had been next to Sans and before I can say anything else, drapes himself over my back and presses his smooth cheek bone against mine. 

  
“I FOR ONE, THINK IT IS SUPER AWESOME THAT YOU ARE THE GENERAL OF THE ROYAL ARMY! YOU DID GREAT TODAY!” I wince at the added weight to my already stressed frame and at the volume of his excited voice. My shoulders tense up and I have to stop myself from throwing him off my back. The extremely strong scent of sweet mangos and sharp ginger makes my eyes water as he wraps his arms around my shoulders, grinning widely. “IT’S SO COOL! YOU LOOK GREAT IN YOUR UNIFORM TOO!”

  
“alright that’s enough of that. back off dude.” The weight is suddenly lifted off me and I turn to see Sans tugging Blue away by the back of his scarf. He was smiling but I could see the tension at the corners of his teeth and sockets. His eye lights were slightly smaller than usual. “how about we order dinner and settle in for the night. i think we all have had a long day. how does chinese sound? i know a good place.”

  
I give Sans a small, grateful smile as he gets everyone’s attention with his suggestion of dinner. The others start to ask what chinese was, Red looking relieved now that the tension had ebbed out of the air. I feel Papyrus’ hand on my shoulder and look up to see him watching me with concern. Resting a hand on his, I give him my best ‘I’m fine’ smile as Sans begins explaining what chinese food tasted like. 

  
Without another word, I quietly slip out of the kitchen to go change, not seeing the deeply concerned frown on Papyrus’ face and the look he shared secretly with Sans. Nor the careful stare from Black as he silently makes his way to his brother’s side.

~~~

  
Sans ended up ordering a huge amount of chinese takeout, which was piled onto the coffee table in the living room after Papyrus grumbled good naturedly that he would only allow it just this once. Sans’ grin said he knew that wasn’t exactly true. Once everything was set out, everyone piled onto the couches with their plates full and settled in for the first movie. Edge was noticeably absent, never once coming down to join us.

  
I put the bare minimum on my plate and discretely picked at it throughout the movie, my stomach revolting at the thought of something solid sitting in it. It’s about halfway through the second movie that I softly whisper to Sans that I need to stretch my legs. He lets me up, moving from where he had sprawled across my lap as I lounged back onto Papyrus’ chest. Papyrus unwraps his arms from around my waist and lets me quietly get up. The others seem to enraptured by the screen to notice my movement and I silently slip out of the room, plate of food in my hand. 

  
After dumping what was left of my dinner into the trash, I pad across the tile to the dining room and then out of the glass double doors. The summer air has finally cooled off and the slight breeze carries a subtle chill from the mountain above. I settle myself on the steps leading down from the back porch, resting my hands on the step underneath me and leaning back to stare up at the clear night sky. 

  
I pushed the throbbing pain in my abdomen to the back of my mind as I begin to pick out constellations. The moon is almost full so it is hard to see the ones closest to it, but the others that stretch further across the skyline twinkle brilliantly without the light pollution of the city. Stretching my tired legs out, I wiggle my feet into the cool grass, digging my toes into the soft earth to ground myself. 

  
I’m not sure how long I sit there, head thrown back and eyes fixated on the stars, before I hear soft footsteps approaching me. The summer breeze pulls the scent of campfire and toasted marshmallows to my nose, causing my soul to flutter like a small bird in my chest. 

  
“i guess it doesn’ matter ‘ow many times ya see it, ya can’t help but stare.” I tilt my head back further to see the source of the deep rumbling voice behind me. Red is standing at the top of the steps, hands shoved into his hoodie pockets, head tilted back to stare at the stars. After a few moments he continues. “it’s really somethin’, ain’t it?”

  
I look back to the twinkling stars, shimering brightly, almost alive.

  
“You know, it’s said that monsters came from the stars. That we are made of stardust…and when we die, we return to the stars once more.” I swallow the lump in my throat and try to ignore the throb of pain in both my soul and abdomen. I can feel Red’s eye lights on me as I keep staring up at the cosmos. “They’re all up there you know? Every single one of them.”

  
“who?” His deep voice is barely above a soft murmur, almost as quiet as the breeze.

  
“All of them. All 1156 of them. I made sure every single one I could, received a proper sending. So their souls can rest peacefully.” I grip the edge of the step I am sitting on tight enough that my hands hurt and the wood creaks. “They are all up there, resting in the stars.” 

  
There is silence for a few moments. The only sounds are the soft rustlings of nature as it lives and breathes around us. The silence is broken by the rustle of clothing and shuffling of shoes on the porch as Red makes his way down the step I’m sitting on. I can see him lowering himself down beside me from my peripheral as I keep my face upward. Once he is settled, all is quiet once again. 

  
We sit there for some time in total silence, watching the heavens make their nightly track across the sky. The soft breeze carrying his scent to tickle my nose occasionally as it shifts around us.

  
“’m sorry.” Red’s voice rumbles softly next to me, almost as if he doesn’t quite want to break the silence. “’bout the other day. that was uncalled for. sorry for my bro too. i swear i raised ‘im better than that.”

  
I glance over to see Red still looking up but his fist is clenched next to him.

  
“Don’t apologize for doing what you felt best for your family. You were doing what you thought you had to.” I let out a soft huff, half smiling as I turn back to the sky. “As for your brother? Don’t apologize for him. Any apology pertaining to him should come from the monster himself. Not you. You may have had a hand in raising him, but he is a full-grown monster and his actions are his own.”

Red lets out a dry chuckle and shakes his head.

“whatever you say, sweetheart.” Silence falls once more. This time it lasts for an even shorter period of time. “ya know, ‘ll be the first to admit that ‘m fucked up. beyond fucked up, ‘ve been for a while…..never thought someone like me would have a soulmate.”

  
“Me either.” I laugh softly, shaking my head. “And yet somehow I do….”

  
“well…we got off on the wrong foot and all that…” Red chuckles and I feel his eye lights on my face. “but i wanna do this right. so how about a do over?”

  
I sit up and turn to look at him. He is smiling but I can see translucent red sweat beading on his skull and his sharp smile looks nervous and strained. My soul thumps in my chest, pulling forward toward the monster next to me. I can help but to smile at him as I stick my hand out. He jumps slightly, startled by the moving and looks down at it in confusion.

  
“My name is Luna.” I tilt my head to lean it on the shoulder of the arm still resting against the steps, smiling softly as I wait for him to reply. A slow, hopeful grin stretches across his teeth as he reaches out to take my hand and shake it firmly. His bones aren’t as smooth as Sans’ and Papyrus’, I can feel the divots and scars and the claws brush against the back of my hand as his envelopes mine. It’s a pleasant sensation as his magic tingles across the markings that cover my hand, causing them to glow faintly and crackle quietly with energy.

  
“the name’s Red, sweetheart.” He chuckles griping my hand firmly almost as if he doesn’t quite want to let go. After a few more beats of my soul, he lets go and my hand instantly feels colder. He put off a lot of heat for a monster. I could feel it almost radiating off of me as he scoots a little closer and looks back up at the star. “know any constellations?”

  
“A few.” I shift back so I’m leaning back once more. I begin to point out the ones I know and he intern points out the ones he had seen on a star map that had fallen into his underground a long time ago. 

  
We sit there picking out constellations and talking about them in the cool night air for quite a while. The combination of my exhaustion from the day and the soothing heat and scent wafting from the monster next to me starts to make my eyes grow heavier and heavier. Red’s deep voice rumbling seems to pull me toward him like a magnet. Before I know it, black starts to creep around the edges of my vision and the last thing I remember is my cheek landing on the soft fluff of his hoodie and the smell of campfire and toasted marshmallow enveloping me.

  
**~Red~**

“what the hell-!” I jump when a weight suddenly thumps against my shoulder. I turn my head to see Luna leaning on me, not moving. I almost reach out to shake her and make sure she is ok but stop when I see her chest rising and falling steadily. She had fallen asleep. Outside. In the open. On my shoulder.

  
I feel unease and panic well up in my soul as my eye lights dart around, searching for any threat in the dark around us. The sound of the glass doors opening behind us almost cause a growl to rumble up through my ribcage as I half turn to face the intruder, careful not to knock her off my shoulder.

  
“There you two are.” Creampuff’s voice causes me to relax some but not a lot. I almost feel like a kid caught nabbing cookies before dinner as he strides across the porch to us. He doesn’t look upset as he approaches, only smiles softly and shakes his head. “She has always been able to fall asleep in the oddest places. She is as bad as my lazy brother sometimes.”

  
“she does this ‘ften?” I glance down at the sleeping woman who was now leaning completely against my side, pinning my left arm to my ribs. 

  
“Only when she is as exhausted as she has been lately.” He squats down on the step above us, reaching out to brush a few strands of hair away from her face. “She hasn’t been feeling well. My brother and I know she has been trying to hide it, but I think it is really starting to wear her down.”

  
“is she ok?” Anxiety and worry sparks in my soul and I really look at her for the first time today. Even since I last saw her, she looked more worn out and possibly a little too thin. 

  
“I hope so.” Creampuff sighs and stares down at her for a few more moments before reaching out and sliding his hands under her arms. I tense up, worried she was about to wake up. Creampuff notices this and chuckles softly. “She won’t wake up, not when she is this tired. I’ll take her upstairs and get her settled.”

  
He easily scoops her up like he has done this many times before, cradling her to his ribs as he smoothly stands up. Luna turns and buries her face into his shirt, a hand reaching up to grip onto the collar. Though I won’t admit it aloud, I instantly miss her weight on my shoulder, and feel a twinge of jealousy seeing her cling to him so willingly. But he was here first, and I would respect that until he gave me a reason not to.

  
“I already warned your brother. Do I need to warn you as well?” The sudden serious tone to Creampuff’s voice catches me off guard. I look up from Luna’s body cradled in his arms to find two tangerine eye lights staring down at me intently. I meet that gaze and stand to face him, setting my mouth into a serious line.

  
“there’s nothin’ to worry ‘bout.” I hold his gaze and we stand there for a few moments until he suddenly grins. 

  
“Good.” He shifts his hold on Luna as he turns to leave. “Have a nice night Red.”

I watch them disappear into the now dark house. It must be pretty late, everyone already retiring for the night. My soul tugs in my ribcage, wanting to follow the pair. To make sure she was going to be ok. Instead, I shortcut to my room and collapse onto my mess bed with a sigh. 

  
I have a soulmate. Hope bubbles up in my soul as the same thought that had been running through my head for days passes through for the millionth time. I have a soulmate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There it is. The next chapter! 
> 
> I really hope you guys enjoyed it! All the comments and kudos you guys leave fill my soul up with all the warm fuzzies! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! 
> 
> I hope you have a great week everyone! See you in the next chapter!


	21. The Limits of a Soldier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy Glob! Over 5000 hits! I can't thank you guys enought for taking the time to read the mess that my brain has been spitting out. It has been very therapeutic to pick up writing again and sharing it with you guys makes it all the more better! <3 
> 
> FINALLY! I am finally able to post this chapter! 
> 
> This chapter has been in the works for a couple weeks now but then my state got slammed by snow like no one's business. Me and my husband are considered weather essential personel so we had to work in all that mess. Luckily we were able to keep warm as best as possible. 
> 
> But now that the snow is almost all melted, I have finally been able to finish this. XD 
> 
> ~Just a heads up, there is some violence in this chapter~
> 
> As always the link to the tumblr is: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/isilmelinde

The sun had already climbed high into the sky when I finally woke up from a very deep sleep. The bed was empty and cold, neither of my mates had been in it for some time. A note on the nightstand in Papyrus’ signature font told me that he had left some time in the morning to take Blue, Black and their brothers to town so they could finish converting their G into a usable currency.

  
My flashing phone plugged into its charger had a few messages from both Sans and Papyrus. Sans and Red had headed to the lab to take care of a few things and would be back before dinner. Papyrus was running late, the line at the bank was longer than he had anticipated. He would try to be home as soon as he could. Both sending their love and telling me to take it easy today. I sent them a quick message, letting them know I was awake and that I would try not to do anything too strenuous. It was my day off after all.

  
There was no reply, not that I expected one. They were both busy. I sent one more message to Papyrus asking if he wanted breakfast for dinner since we missed cooking this morning. Placing the phone back on the nightstand, I stand up and start getting dressed. Well, as dressed as I was going to get today. I grabbed a comfortable tank top covered in little skulls and cross bones (surprisingly a gift from Papyrus) and a pair of jogging sweats, before leaving the room and padding down the stairs in search of tea. I pulled my hair into a loose braid over my shoulder as I moved toward the kitchen.

  
The house was dead silent as I filled the kettle and placed it on the stove. Reaching for the box of tea on the upper shelf of the pantry made me wince. My whole abdomen felt like someone had beat me black and blue, bruising me to the bone. I hope the tea would help soothe some of it. When the kettle began to whistle, I quickly grabbed a large mug and set about getting the tea to steep. 10 minutes and a few dollops of honey later, I make my way slowly to the living room to curl up in the corner of one of the couches. Turning on the TV to a random channel, I clutch the mug to my chest and let my body soak up its heat as I begin to space out.

  
I’m not sure how long I sat there, sipping the cooling tea and staring off into space. It’s peaceful, the soft murmur of the TV giving me the right amount of white noise. Total silence has always made me uneasy, made me panic. All my life there has been some kind of noise, be it the sounds of nature, my parents, rowdy soldiers, the roaring of fire, the bustle of the city, music. There has always been something and when there is nothing, there is nothing to stop the sharp cold panic and dread that creeps into my soul. No barrier against the guilt, the pain, the deep sadness. Sound was good. Sound helped.

I was thinking about everything and nothing at all when the sound of loud, stomping footsteps making their way down the stairs, jolts me back into reality. It sounded like a pair of heeled boots, stomping with way more force than necessary. Spiced earl grey tickles my nose, drowning out the smell of my tea, as Edge stomps into the living room. The scent is so strong it almost makes me sneeze, he was clearly trying to make his presence more than known. He stops just inside the door; I can feel his eye lights boring into the side my head but I keep my eyes half focused on the spot on the wall I had been staring at moments before. 

  
“OH, ITS YOU.” He says it like he was beyond disgusted with my presence. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. His face is screwed up in a menacing scowl. I keep staring despite him glaring at me, not turning my head to face him completely. There are dark crimson marks under his sockets, making them almost looked bruised. I can see a tightness to the corner of his eyes and despite the fact that he still held himself proudly, there was a subtle slump to his posture. A sharp growl breaks me out of my thoughts. “STOP STARING YOU INSUFFERABLE WENCH. I HAD HOPED YOU HAD LEFT AFTER YOUR THOROUGH LASHING LAST NIGHT. I SEE NOW THAT YOU ARE AS DIM AS YOU ARE DISGRACEFUL. YOUR VERY PRESENCE IS NOT ONLY AN OFFENSE TO ALL MONSTER KIND BUT AN AFFRONT TO MY EYE SOCKETS. YOU WOULD DO US ALL A FAVOR IF-“

  
I slam my nearly empty mug down onto the coffee table, effectively shutting him up and startling him with the noise. Standing, I make my way around the couch and toward the towering skeleton, keeping direct eye contact the entire time. Edge holds his ground, hands clenched at his sides, ready to defend himself or jump me, or both. His scowl as shifted to a sneer. The sneer drops into mild confusion as I walk past him before it is back just as quick.

  
“Come on.” I turn to walk toward the mud room.

  
“EXCUSE ME?!” Edge steps through the door way, looking at me, both angry and confused.

  
“I said, come on. I won’t repeat myself again.” I keep walking, not stopping to see if he was following.

  
“WHY SHOULD I GO ANYWHERE WITH THE LIKES OF YOU?” Despite saying this, I hear his boots stomping behind me. “WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” 

  
“You’ve got a huge chip on your shoulder. I’m gonna knock it off.” I hook my finger into the back of my tennis shoes and slip them on, tapping the toe on the ground to make sure they are in place before striding through the mud room to the open garage. Heeled boots clack against the concrete, Edge clearly following me despite his previous protest. I turn onto the lawn and make my way to the tree line, immediately b-lining for the small trail that wound through the forest. 

  
I didn’t look behind me to see if Edge kept following. I knew his type, he had something to prove and I had presented a clear challenge to his authority. He would hound me and keep testing me until I either submitted to his authority or rose to his challenge and proved that I was his equal or better. Even then it would be 50/50 on whether or not he will back off. I knew I had to nip this in the bud before it escalated any further. 

  
We walk for a little while, a good distance from the house and up to the base of the mountain. The only indication that I wasn’t alone was the sound of boots on the dirt trail behind me. The tea had loosened my muscles and the fresh air was helping keep my head clear, and stretching my legs while I walked felt amazing. The frustration and anger had begun to cool in my soul but I remained resolute as I began picking my way through the boulders that began encroaching upon the trail.

  
Out of habit I slip off the main trail onto a small worn foot path between the jutting rock outcroppings, ducking under a few overhangs before the path begins to descend steadily. Surprisingly all the movement I was doing ducking, climbing and skirting around the now jagged rock formations was actually helping. My pain levels begin to slowly decrease as I focus on making my way to my destination. Almost like I was stretching and warming up muscles that had cramped and stoved up after a rough work out, the throbbing pain lessened the more I bent and moved. The pain never fully left but it was no longer the only thing I thought about, which was a major relief to my stressed system. Maybe this would be good for both Edge and I. 

  
The trail kept descending further and further, winding through rocks and a few crevices big enough for even Edge to comfortably slide through, or at least that is what I assumed since I didn’t hear him struggling behind me. Only footsteps. He was completely silent and I could feel his eye lights boring into the back of my head whenever I was in his line of sight. 

  
A little while and a sharp decent later, the foot path opens up to a flat rocky opening. The ground is smooth solid stone, worn down, cracked in a few areas; surrounded by sharp jagged cliff faces on two sides. To the left and to the right is open seeming to stretch on until the rock walls curve away. The clear sky and sun shines down from above. The bottom of the gorge was a peaceful, isolated spot worn down by forces unknown for hundreds of years. A deep gouge in the base of the mountain that held monsters for so long. 

  
It was a spot I came to often even before Sans and Papyrus moved, it was my sanctuary, my coliseum, my battle ground to fight my demons. Hidden away from the rest of the world, covered with old scorch marks and sharp scores in the weathered rocks. I slip off my shoes and pad across the smooth stone to a large boulder on the far side, setting them out of the way on top of it. Flexing my toes, I take a moment to enjoy the feeling of the warm earth under my bare feet, not really trusting anything under them aside from the shoes I wore with my armor. I still sparred barefoot when I didn’t wear them, hating the feeling of thick soles disconnecting my body from the earth under it. It threw me off and if it wasn’t for the debris in the city as well as modern social norms, I would go barefoot a majority of the time. 

  
I pivot on the ball of my foot to face Edge who was now standing at the end of the foot path, glancing subtly at his surroundings. My movement causes his eye lights to settle on me, and they immediately shrink down to pin points as his sockets narrow dangerously. I could feel the suspicion rolling off of him from here. Might as well not drag this out. Sliding my right foot back, I settle into a comfortable stagger stance, bending my knees slightly and bringing my hands at the ready.

  
“All right let’s get this over with.” I watch as Edge tenses up, taking on a more aggressive posture. I can see his gloved fists clenching from here. I let my expression go serious as I level him with my gaze. “You have wanted to take a swing at me since day one. Now is your chance. You won’t get another.” 

  
His sockets widen slightly before narrowing once more as he widens his stance, fist clenched at his sides still. It’s a power stance, but he seems to be waiting for me to move first. I didn’t plan to. I wasn’t the one with the problem. He needed to work off this anger and no one else was going to help him. They would let him stew until he snapped, I had seen this happen too many times. It would do way more harm than good, this needed to be headed off now. Over and done, like ripping off a Band-Aid. 

  
After a few moments of both of us standing there, staring each other down, I decide he needed a little push. We weren’t going to get anywhere until he worked through whatever was raging on behind those angry eye lights. I smirk, purposely dropping my arms, looking a little cocky.

  
“What? Has the Great and Terrible Edge never fought outside of an encounter?” I let the false condescension bleed into my voice. He clenches his teeth and I can hear the leather of his glove creaking as he clenches his fists even harder. I pout in mock pity. “Aw. I’m sorry. Here let me make this easier for you. You get the first ‘turn.’ How’s that?” 

  
That was the push he needed, quick as lightening, Edge closes the space between us. He swings hard, aiming straight for the side of my head. But rather than ducking, backing away, or deflecting the blow, I do something that causes surprise to slacken his angry features. I take the hit, only bringing my arm up to block the blow, but still taking the hit all the same. I can feel my Hp tick down a few points as I let my foot slide back to keep my stance steady. 

  
Everything freezes for a few seconds as I look up at the skeleton before me. His fist is still against my arm, my other hand is up and ready to guard as I make eye contact with those glowing crimson orbs. Many emotions flash quickly in those lights, some too fast for me to decipher, others clear as day. Anger, confusion, surprise, and lurking beneath them pain. 

  
Time suddenly speeds up, as if making up for the momentary pause it had seemed to take. There is nothing but anger shining in his sockets now as Edge brings his other fist up into a harsh uppercut. Again, I take the hit, only using my arms to block. And so it begins, his anger quickly escalating to rage as blow after blow rains down on me. I take the hits, only truly deflecting them when I feel they are getting too close to my stomach, stepping back just out of reach as his bony fist whistles through the air where I stood. 

  
I can feel my Hp periodically ticking down, but I know I can take it. I have plenty to spare. 

  
“YOU’RE AS BAD AS MY BROTHER! I DON’T KNOW HOW ANYONE THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE AS PATHETIC AS YOU COULD LEAD AN ARMY! YOU WON’T EVEN FIGHT BACK!” Being so close, Edge’s loud, rage filled voice makes my ears ring. He takes a particularly nasty swing at my face that has me shifting my stance to keep from tipping backwards as it slams my forearms into my mouth. I can taste a little of my own blood as one of my fangs cuts my lip. “YOU CAN’T EVEN DOGDE THESE MEASLY HITS! AT LEAST MY LAZY BROTHER CAN DO THAT! HOW CAN SOMEONE IN SUCH A POSITION OF POWER BE SO DEPLORABLE?!”

  
I remain silent, my face calm as I look up at him. This was going to hurt tomorrow, but a little bit of rest and monster candy and I would be fine. The question was, would he? He strikes a few more times, growling in anger as I still refuse to return the blows. 

  
“YOU’RE WORTHLESS! YOU THINK THAT YOU’RE BETTER THAN US? YOU AND YOUR PUNY, COTTON CANDY WORLD? YOU THINK YOU KNOW PAIN?! YOU WOULDN’T SURVIVE A MINUTE IN OUR WORLD! YOUR DUST WOULD BE IN THE WIND BEFORE YOU COULD OPEN THAT ARROGANT LITTLE MOUTH OF YOURS.” Each sentence is punctuated by a hit and my Hp ticking down a couple points. We were slowly moving around the open space, stepping and shifting with the hits. “YOU THINK IT IS EASY BEING HERE? IN SUCH A PEACEFUL PLACE? YOU THINK WE CAN JUST FORGET A LIFETIME OF FIGHTING TO SURVIVE? THAT THE RULES OF KILL OR BE KILLED JUST DISSAPPEAR NOW THAT YOU SAY WE ARE SAFE? THAT WE CAN JUST CHANGE OUR VERY NATURE? TURN OFF OUR INSTINCTS TO LASH OUT? THAT YOU OF ALL PEOPLE CAN JUST WALTZ IN AND TAKE IT ALL AWAY FROM US?” 

  
My soul clenches at the pain behind the anger in his loud voice. 

  
“WE CAN’T JUST MAGICALLY BE OK WITH ALL THIS! YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM US! OUR HOMES!” Swing. “OUR JOBS!” Strike. “OUR PRIDE!” Elbow jab. “MY BROTHER!” 

  
The next hit knocks me off my feet and into the air. I roll when I hit the ground, quickly springing to my feet to take the next blow. A chunk of Hp disappears.

  
“ALL OF IT TAKEN AWAY BY SOME STUPID!” Hit. “CONCIETED!” Hit. “SELF-CENTERED!” Hit. “LOATHSOME FOOL WHO THINKS THEY KNOW BEST!” Hit. “WE CAN’T CHANGE OUR ENTIRE BEINGS. THIS IS WHO WE ARE DAMN IT!”

  
His tone become mocking, filled with loathing though I’m not sure who he is talking to anymore.

  
“’DON’T FIGHT IN PUBLIC.’ ‘IT’S NOT LIKE THE HUMANS ARE GOING TO HURT YOU.’ ‘EVERYTHING IS PEACEFUL NOW, NO NEED TO BE SO UPTIGHT.’ ‘STOP SUMMONING YOUR WEAPONS AT EVERY LITTLE ALTERCATION.’ ‘JUST CHILL OUT, EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE.’” Edge kicks out and I barely have time to keep him from sweeping me off my feet. “AS IF WE HAVEN’T SPENT EVERY MINUTE OF OUR LIVES FIGHTING. LIKE IT’LL ALL CHANGE NOW JUST BECAUSE WE CAN SEE SOME STUPID BALL OF GAS ABOVE OUR HEADS. WELL, WE CAN’T! WE CAN’T CHANGE JUST. LIKE. THAT!” Hit. Hit. Hit.

  
I can feel some bruises starting to form already, but they don’t hurt as much as hearing the pain and frustration in Edge’s voice does. He was struggling, I could see the anger and the pain warring on his face. 

  
“WE CAN’T JUST RUN AWAY TO OUR LITTLE BAKERIES WHENEVER THE WORLD GETS TOO HARD TO HANDLE AND HIDE AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD LIKE IT DOESN’T EXIST!” His next punch is more glancing than a direct hit. “YOU’RE WEAK! PATHETIC! CRUEL! STUBBORN! GREEDY! IMPULSIVE! OVERCRITICAL!” 

  
Steadily, each hit takes off less and less Hp. There is less force behind them and he aims toward easy to block areas. Edge’s sockets are scrunched up at the corners and he clenches his teeth almost painfully, I can barely see his eye lights, they are so small. He is almost looking through me as he keeps talking.

  
“YOU ARE A VAIN, CYNICAL, AND RESENTFUL PERSON WHO WILL NEVER CHANGE! AND YOUR BROTHER HATES YOU WITH ALL HIS BEING AND COULD NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.” Edge’s voice cracks as he takes one last swing. I knew he was no longer talking to me, hadn’t really been for a while. That was enough. I grab his fist before it can make contact with my chest and pull him forward, using his momentum to knock him off balance.

  
Shifting my grip to his wrist, I pull down and toward myself, causing the tall skeleton before me to stumble and drop to one knee. Before he can react, I wrap both arms around his cervical vertebrae and direct his skull to my should. His whole body stiffens as I hold on tightly just in case he pulls back. I can hear the creaking of leather as he clenches and unclenches his fists at his sides.

  
“No one is asking you to just be ok with all this. It’s a huge change, I know. Your whole world has been turned on its head and everything is new. And it’s scary. And that is ok. It’s ok to be scared, being scared is natural when it feels like the world is falling down around your head.” I keep my voice low and steady, hugging Edge close. “I won’t even try to say that I know what you have been through. Because I don’t. I wasn’t there, I wasn’t in your world. I didn’t see what you had to do to survive. But I do know that you survived. You and your brother both survived and you made it out together. Whatever happened up to that point, while is still important, doesn’t make you who you are. Now that you are on the surface. Now that you are here. You get to decide who you are and what you want from life. That amount of freedom can be intimidating, sure. But know this, no one, not your king, not your queen, not your captain, not even your brother can decide who you are and what you want to be. That choice is yours and yours alone.”

  
I pause for a moment as I feel Edge tremble lightly in my grip, bones rattling faintly. I barely trace the fingers of the hand holding the back of his skull in soothing circles.

  
“I don’t know if someone called you all of those horrible things or if that is what you have been telling yourself. My opinion is all of that is bullshit and you are none of those things. Tired? Yes. Scared? Who wouldn’t be at this point? Lashing out at everything around you because of that fear? No one blames you. Everyone is coping with all of this differently, some better than others. Some people need help facing the facts so they can move on and try to adapt to the new life that has been dropped in their laps. So here are some facts for you I know are true without a doubt in my soul.” I drop my voice down to a low murmur, pouring soothing intent into my words. “First fact. The sun will rise tomorrow. Second fact. Sugar tastes sweet, it always has, always will. Third fact. The earth will keep spinning and time will keep moving, no matter how much we wish it would just stop for a day. And the fourth final fact, one I know with all my soul and being and will never change in a million years even after we are all dust in the stars. Your brother will always love you Papyrus.” 

  
I feel Edge’s arms wrap around me and grip me tightly as his other leg finally gives out and he slides to the ground. The rattling of his bones gets louder as he kneels there, holding me tightly, face buried in my neck, legs folded beneath him. 

  
It starts softly, I can barely hear it over the sound of rattling bones, but when I do, I know what it is. It’s a sound that causes my soul to crack a little each time I hear it. The sobs of a broken soldier. I press my face to the side of his skull as the sobbing gets louder, shaking his frame as well as mine. I ignore the tight grip his hands have on me and hold him as close as I can, my soul twisting and writhing in pain for him. He had finally broke, it was all too much.

  
My throat constricts and I can feel my eyes burning as my soul cries for him. I knew how he felt, and had seen so many others just reach the point they couldn’t take it anymore. All I can do is just hold on and ride the storm out with him. 

  
The top of my tank top starts to soak through but I ignore it and keep tracing circles on his skull as he cries out everything that had probably built up over his whole lifetime. Never given the chance to let go, to feel, to be weak just for a moment. His world probably would have eaten him alive. But no one can go on like that forever.

  
I don’t know how long we sit there. Hours? Minutes? It doesn’t matter, I don’t even loosen my hold for a second and Edge holds on just as resolutely. I flinch slightly but don’t let go when I feel prickly healing magic bleeding into my system, the strong scent of spiced earl gray is more soothing now than it was. My Hp steadily ticks back up for a few moments, restoring over half of what had been lost. When the magic fizzles out, I feel Edge loosen his grip on me and slowly begin to pull away. I let go to allow him to move, realizing now that I am half leaning, half kneeling on him for support, my knees resting on top of his femurs. My soul flutters in my chest as I steady myself by grabbing his shoulder.

  
“I’m Sorry, That Is All I Can Do For Now. Healing Magic Isn’t My Strong Suit.” Edge leans back to sit fully on his heels and look at my face. The underside of his sockets is a dark bruised crimson, translucent red tears drying on his sharp cheek bones. His eye lights have returned to their normal size but are slightly hazy around the edges. A gloved thumb swipes over my cheek softly as Edge frowns down at me. “You Cried For Me? Why?”

  
I bring a hand up and rub at the other cheek. It comes back wet. Apparently, I did cry, I hadn’t even noticed. A soft smile stretches across my lips.

  
“Everyone needs someone who will cry for them.” A faint hue of crimson dusts over his sharp cheek bones and he looks away from me, clearing his throat. I chuckle softly before glancing up at the sky, the sun was inching its way toward the horizon and the shadows stretched far across the gorge. We had been out here for a while; longer than I thought we had been. “It’s getting late. We better start making our way back before Sans and Papyrus start searching the mountain for us.”

  
Carefully, gentler than I thought he would, Edge stands up and sets me on my feet. He steadies me when I sway a little, getting used to having weight on them again. Concerned eye lights glance over my person and I look down. Aside from a few stubborn bruises, I was looking a little roughed up but good. My Hp was decent again and wasn’t anything a monster candy couldn’t handle. I did a quick self-evaluation. A few bruises hurt here and there, my legs were a little stiff but would be fine once we got moving, and oddly enough my abdomen was just fine other than the usual dull ache. I sighed, once more cursing the fact that I was adept at healing magic yet couldn’t heal myself with it. It just cycled my own magic through my system and nothing else, not even a twinge of healing. I had never been able to successfully self heal. 

  
“Will You Be Able To Make It Back?” Edge frowns down at me, reaching forward as if to try his hand at healing me again. I wave him off with a rueful smile. 

  
“I’ll be fine, trust me. I’m tougher than I look.” I roll my shoulders to stretch them out as I turn to grab my shoes and slip them on once more. 

  
“I Can Believe That After Today.” Edge shakes his head in disbelief as I hop from one foot to the other, sliding my shoes on quickly. Once they are secure, I make my way to where he is standing and motion for him to follow as I move to the foot path that had led us down. He easily falls in step a few paces behind me, staying quiet for the most part until we make it to the main trail where he moves to walk next to me. I can feel him watching me from the corner his socket and turn my head to smile up at him.

  
“So how much was it? 30 pounds? 50? 100 maybe?” I grin at his look of confusion.

  
“What?” Edge frowns down at me, tilting his head slightly much like Papyrus did when he didn’t get something. 

  
“That chip I knocked off. It was huge. It had to be at least 50 pounds, but my money is more on 100.” My grin grows as I watch the realization of what I said wash over him. His teeth tilt up in a small smirk and I hear a small ‘snrk.’ This makes me giggle as I continue walking down the trail. 

  
“You Are Something Else.” I barely hear him mumble next to me but don’t say anything in reply. My soul thrums happily in my chest. The rest of the walk is in silence, but its comfortable, like there is nothing left to say.

  
I feel my mates’ anxiety before I see them waiting at the head of the trail. I am kind of surprised to see three figures waiting in the fading sunlight instead of two. Sans and Papyrus rush forward, meeting me before we can clear the tree line. I head Edge move away quickly before two sets of bony arms wrap around me. The third figure goes to move past us and I reach out, grabbing Red’s sleeve before he can move too far. He turns to look at me confused, the previous anger that had been on his face fading some.

  
“He needs his brother now more than anything.” I murmur softly, staring into scarlet eye lights. Red’s face softens and he nods softly, patting my hand before slipping out of my grip and continuing on his path to his brother. 

  
“Are you ok?” I look up to see Papyrus looking down at me, brow bone creased with worry. He softly touches a bruise on my arm and I can feel Sans’ check brush softly off my soul. Before I can say anything, I feel the soothing cool tingle of healing magic from both of my mates settling into my body. It makes me sigh softly and sink into their hold on me.

  
“I’m fine guys, trust me.” I chuckle softly, letting them fuss over me, checking to see if my Hp is full again and no visible bruises are left. I peek over Sans’ shoulder to see Red and Edge talking quietly. He must feel my gaze, because Edge looks up and makes eye contact with me. A small smile stretches across his teeth. I return it with a larger one of my own. “We are just fine.”

  
I glance back to my mates to see them looking to the other pair of brothers, when they both look back to me, I can feel their searching stares. Checking to see if everything was indeed ok. After a few moments, Papyrus sighs and shakes his head, a rueful smile on his face as he reaches up and pushes the hair that had fallen from my braid out of my face. 

  
“Of course, you are, Firefly.” I can hear Sans huff exasperatedly behind me at his brother’s statement before I feel him lean down and nuzzle the back of my head.

  
“we’re just checking. had us worried there for a little bit.” His grip around my waist tightens briefly before he pulls away to get a better look at my face. “let’s get home, pap picked up the stuff for burgers and i don’t know about you guys, but i’m starving over here.”

  
“yeah, we’re jus’ skin an’ bone. ‘m practically wastin’ away.” Red and Edge start walking toward us, a huge grin stretching across Red’s face. His gold tooth glinting in the sun. “look, ya can see my ribs an’ everything.”

  
I chuckle softly at the frustrated groans from the two taller skeletons. Sans reaches out and fist bumps Red as he reaches us. 

  
“LET US GET INSIDE BEFORE WE ARE SUBJECTED TO MORE POOR EXCUSES FOR HUMOR.” Edge sighs and rolls his eye lights in his sockets.

  
“I couldn’t agree more, let’s go.” Papyrus starts to nudge me in the direction of the house, keeping an arm around my shoulder as we start walking. Sans quickly shifts so he is on my other side, a hand tucked around my hip, phalanges gripping the bone there softly. I hum happily, soaking up the scent and warmth from my mates. When we reach the house, I barely catch four figures making their way back inside from where they had been waiting for us to return or to help search, I wasn’t sure. 

  
Once inside, I slip off my shoes and leave them by the door and follow Papyrus to the kitchen where I can hear the other gathering. Sans and the other two trailing quietly behind us. When we enter, Black begins speaking as if he was picking up a conversation that had been interrupted.

  
“As I Was Saying, While I Am Not That Picky, I Do Not Think I Can Stomach Something As Greasy As Burgers.” Black is standing near the island where Mutt has taken residence on a stool, his upper half sprawled out on the counter top. Blue is standing near the stove, waiting excitedly to help cook dinner. Stretch has taken up Black’s previous spot in the corner of the room, chewing on a sucker casually.

  
I gasp and put a hand to my chest in mock offense as I make my way to the sink to wash my hands.

  
“Are you calling My burgers greasy? I’ll have you know that even Papyrus likes my burgers!” I lay it on thick, sounding extremely offended. Black sputters, making a slightly panicked sound as he opens his mouth to say something. I giggle and turn on the water to start scrubbing my hands, winking at Black. “Don’t sweat it, burgers usually are pretty greasy.”

  
Black huffs and looks away, crossing his arms over his armored chest. Mutt chuckles, turning his head to watch me.

  
“don’t let ‘im fool ya angel. ‘e likes a greasy burg’ just as much as i do. ‘e jus’ doesn’ like ta admit it.” Mutt grins, wincing and letting out a small ‘ow’ when Black cuffs him on the back of his skull. 

  
Laughing softly, I turn around to the other counter where Papyrus was finishing adding seasoning to the burger meat. Without hesitating, I stick my hands into the raw meat and start mixing the seasoning thoroughly. 

  
“HOW DO YOU MAKE BURGERS THAT AREN’T GREASY?” Blue moves closer to watch me as Papyrus goes to the fridge to start getting the other ingredients for dinner out. 

  
“There’s a trick to it. Not everyone can do it though.” I scoop up a decent amount of meat and start to make a patty. 

  
“a trick ta what sweetheart?” I turn my head to see Sans finally walking into the kitchen with Red and Edge following behind. Sans walks over and pulls out a small pan, putting it onto the stove next to where I stand. 

  
“To making hamburgers my way.” I step over to the pan and hold my hands and the patty over the hand. I let magic pool into my palms, causing it to spark and flare to life. Bright amethyst flames engulf my hands and the patty and I can hear a few gasps behind me. I don’t look up, focusing on controlling the temperature so I can cook the meat all the way through and not burn it. All the excess grease drops into the pan beneath my hands, not that there was much to begin with. 

  
A plate clinks on to the counter for me to deposit the now finished patty onto. I set it down after letting the flames die out, before reaching into the bowl for another portion. Glancing over my shoulder, I see multiple sets of wide eye sockets. I grin and laugh softly as I shape another patty, sticking out my tongue cheekily before turning back to the pan on the stove. 

  
I start to pool my magic in my palms again when it hits me. It feels like every muscle in my abdomen clenched at once, forcing the air from my lungs. The patty drops into the pan as I brace myself on the edge of the stove, trying to suck in some air and keep my body from bending in half. The scar on my stomach feels like it is being sliced open from the inside. It hurts so bad that I have to look down to see if I am bleeding. For a split second I see a dark blade embedded but when I blink it is gone. 

  
Forcing myself to inhale only causes me to choke and coughs shake my frame. As if I’m under water, I faintly hear my name being called as I double over. My lungs feel like they are on fire as I continue to cough, I can only wrap my arms around myself and try to stay upright. A particularly bone rattling cough causes a spray of shimmering red to splatter onto the stove top and floor. 

  
I try to cover my mouth but it’s useless and the next round of coughs cause it to just run through my fingers and down my arm. I can’t get any oxygen and my body hurts so bad that I start to tremble. Tears stream down my cheeks to mix with the blood running down my hand and chin and vaguely I can feel a set of hands gripping my shoulders. Someone calls out in a loud panicked voice but I can understand what they are saying. The corners of my line of site are starting to haze and darken. 

  
With a few gurgling breaths I manage to get enough air in my lungs to say something.

  
“Tori.” Another round of coughing makes me sob, my knees buckling from the pain. The hands on my shoulders try to catch me but aren’t quick enough and my knees slam into the tiled floor. Croaking I manage speak again. “Get Tori.”

  
I can hear yelling and pandemonium around me but can’t respond as everything goes black and my body goes slack like someone cut the strings off a puppet. Somewhere, far away I can hear a voice, soft and calming as I fade out. 

  
“ _Let go. I’ve got you Little Moon_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been waiting to write this chapter for soooooooo long. I am almost giddy now that it is done. This was one of those chapters I have had in my head since I started this story, I have a few that I just have swimming in my head waiting for their time to shine. I can't wait to get to those points in this story. :)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading this story! Your comments and kudos makes my heart go brrr XD 
> 
> I hope you all have a nice rest of your week!

**Author's Note:**

> I believe I will be posting updates on Sundays as I am able.


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